Jami‘ al-Tawarikh written by Rashid al-Din in 1314–131 on tour in Amsterdam

Exhibition Passion for Perfection
Islamic art from the Khalili Collections
11 December 2010 to 17 April 2011
De Nieuwe Kerk, Dam Square, Amsterdam

Passion for Perfection presents a selection of some 500 masterpieces from Professor Nasser D. Khalili’s famous collection of Islamic art. From 11 December 2010 to 17 April 2011, richly illuminated Qur’ans and manuscripts, paintings, gold jewellery, carpets, textiles, ceramics, glassware, lacquerware, metalwork, and stone and wood carvings will be on display in De Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam.

These works of art are of great historical significance and reflect the refinement and grandeur of Islamic art. This art is not exclusively religious in terms of content and function: many of the items are secular, intended for use in everyday life. Besides geometric motifs, arabesques and elegant scrolls, representations of human figures and animals also play a role. Because the artistic vocabulary of Islamic art is shaped to some extent by the spirit and doctrines of the Muslim faith, the art on display in the exhibition does not represent any single country or civilisation. Passion for Perfection illustrates the virtuoso expression of peoples who have been linked by Islam for over 1,400 years.


Passion for Perfection