Hermitage to exhibit Muslim Art in London

New exhibition entitled “Art of Islam” begins today in the halls of the State's Hermitage Museum in London's Somerset House. 75 items from the Hermitage's Eastern Art Collection will be displayed.

“Exhibition of Islamic art with a few pieces from Hermitage had taken place in London nearly 40 years ago. However, this art collection of the world’s famous Hermitage is taking place in London for the first time on such grand scale,” stated senior staff scientist of the Department of Eastern studies of Hermitage, Adel Adamova, reports RIA ‘Novosti”.

Museum halls will showcase various pieces from different countries of the Islamic world; the earliest dating back to the Middle Ages. Visitors could witness the best examples of Muslim bronze work, Turkish and Iranian weapons, jewelry items, a series of Persian miniatures, chasubles of Russian priests made from Turkish and Persian fabrics, as well as velvet fabrics made in Iran in XVI century.

One of the most fascinating pieces, according to Adamova, will be glazed tiles that once used to decorate walls and interiors of Iranian mausoleums of XII century.