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Islamic Silver Art leaflet (996kb)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hertha Lamm, Riyadh Daily, June 11, 1988 on the exhibition 'Decoration on Silver and Manuscripts among Muslims'.

'Unlike other areas, such as ceramics, architecture and manuscript illustration which were well researched and documented, the craft of silversmithing among Muslims was completely neglected. At that time, he could find no book, no art historical study, not one reference which dealt specifically with art objects crafted from silver. Also, there were no collections of silver objects, anywhere! With the limited amount of money that he had as a student, he began to collect items crafted from silver made by Muslims. Unfortunately, this long and widespread history of Islamic craftsmanship in silver work has ended. Except for a small community of silversmiths in India, the art of silverwork among Muslims has come to an end. The bright moon of silver has been eclipsed by its more expensive sibling - gold.

The fate of this remarkable silver collection is also at a crossroads. Having spent all of his resources to gather this amazing collection of art objects made of silver into one collection, Dr. Jadir is faced with the daunting prospect of impoverishing himself in order to keep it. Presently scattered in storage vaults, the collection is a part of Islamic cultural and artistic heritage that is too great a responsibility for one man. Only the cost of storing and insuring such a large number of priceless articles is crippling. Selling part, or all, of the pieces would solve the financial difficulties now facing the collection and make the collector a very rich man. Yet, such a solution is no solution to the problem that Saad Al-Jadir faced when he began to collect as a young man. The piecemeal sale of the collection will again force the rich cultural heritage of Muslim silversmiths into dispersal and oblivion. Therefore, none of us would be able to appreciate these works of art as a whole. As is the case of other specialised collections of art objects, the Jadir collection as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It needs the financial support of foundations and institutions dedicated to the preservation of a cultural heritage to take over the financial burden of its care and keeping and eventually to ensure that it is properly housed for presentation to art lovers of the world'.

 

 

© Saad Al Jadir 2012

Press Cuttings 3