To mark this year’s Hajj, a new book with 300 illustrations of Hajj has been released, written by Qaisra Muhammad Khan, The Khalili Family Trust curator, who formerly worked at the British Museum.
Reference: The Khalili Family Trust Foundation was founded by Professor Sir Nasser David Khalili. He is a world-renowned British scholar of Iranian origin, a collector, a philanthropist and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. Over the course of five decades, Sir Nasser Khalili has assembled 8 of the world’s finest art collections, including about 35 000 works, many of which have been displayed in prestigious museums and institutions around the world. Nasser Khalili, a millionaire and philanthropist, is one of the world’s top ten collectors. His collection of Islamic art numbers over 28 000 pieces.
Assouline’s book ‘Hajj and the Arts of Pilgrimage’ contains valuable information revealing important details of the artworks and artifacts associated with the world’s largest religious pilgrimage.
The author tells about the importance of travelling to the holiest city of Islam. This journey is one of the five pillars of Islam. The pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca is obligatory for those who are able to perform it.
The book explores the many priceless artifacts from the Khalili Family Trust collection, collected by British scholar Nasser David Khalili over 50 years. His collection includes over 28 000 works of Islamic art and covers over 1400 years of history.
This book describes the collection of 5 000 exhibits, which comprise single copies of the Quran, illustrated manuscripts, scientific tools, textile and rare books, as well as illustrations of Mecca, including a watercolor dating from 1845. It shows the Holy City as it was at that time.
In the book one can find a photograph of pilgrims circling the Kaaba in 1880.
As a demonstration of Islam’s global influence on world art, the books comprises such works of art as the XIX century Kashmiri drawings of the Great Mosque in Mecca and the XIX drawings of pilgrim boats travelling to the Holy City.
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Photo: Khalili Collections