Don't miss "Pearls of Wisdom : The Arts of Islam at the University of Michigan," on display October 15th - December 21st at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology!
This exhibition features an incredible selection of Islamic art objects from collections across the University of Michigan, including the Special Collections Library. Co-curators Christiane Gruber and Ashley Dimmig have thoughtfully organized the exhibition around a number of allegorical themes highlighting the richness and diversity of the University's Islamic art holdings.
In addition to an array of exquisite textiles, glassware, metalwares, ceramics, woodwork, and paintings, the exhibition includes a number of illuminated manuscripts from our Islamic Manuscripts Collection.
Red circles strung like pearls elegantly mark the proportions of calligraphic letterforms in Isl. Ms. 401, Special Collections Library
Among the metalwares and apotropaic objects are a couple of magic bowls from our Historic Scientific Instrument Collection.
Magic bowl with attached prayer tablets, Historic Scientific Instrument Collection GL7, Special Collections Library
Be sure to also visit the permanent online version of the exhibition, which features a number of resources for exploring the objects and their contexts, as well as the full schedule of exhibition events.
Don't miss this splendid exhibition!
Beautiful names of God in Isl. Ms. 249, Special Collections Library