The finial from Tipu Sultan’s throne at Bonhams was among the auction season’s highlights
The biannual round of Islamic-art auctions took place again last month, and they were far from being clearance sales. Prices may have been down at the lower end, and there were plenty of unsold lots, but there were enough high rollers around to keep the market afloat. The star attraction at Sotheby’s turned out to be the cover lot that I discussed last month. This luminously lovely piece of 14th century Mamluk glass fetched GBP1.6 million, accounting for approximately one third of the sale tota. Many other objects made good prices, although few went past the GBP100,000 barrier. One of the more intriguing items that failed to sell was a 19th century portrait of the Imam Ali and family. Painted in monochrome, the numerous members of this lugubrious-looking ensemble do not have a smile between them; the only cheery presence is a grinning wolf in the foreground.
Sotheby’s took a more substantial gamble ahead of its London sale by testing the market in Qatar. It was a bold move in a slightly different location from the now rather predictable setting of Dubai. The number of pieces was small and the quality high, but the timing was not good – except for Safavid velvet. A rare panel in superb condition, depicting the unusual subject of ladies out hunting, went for 10 times its estimate to fetch US$3.4 million. Only four other lots were sold at the auction, although it has to be said that the entire lineup was very select.
Back in London, the other auction house that generated some excitement was Bonhams. As elsewhere, the standard offerings were received with little enthusiasm. A few items did extremely well. Among these was a curtain that would originally have hung from the Ka’ba in Mecca. This fetched more than GBP200,000. A large number of similar ‘burqas’ have been appearing on the market over the past few years, and many of them have turned out to be fakes. Still, the demand is insatiable for these supremely sacred objects, and when a confidence-inspiring example turns up, the prices can go very high. Kiswahs such as this one, ordered by the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II in 1828, are a reminder of how the Ka’bah used to feature more than just the black and gold that we see now. In the past, red and green were also included.
The most highly priced lot at Bonhams was a gold finial from the octagonal throne of Tipu Sultan. Sold for almost GBP400,000, it proved to be the most important piece of memorabilia from the Tiger of Mysore to appear at auction for a long time. The romantic appeal of the gem-encrusted, tiger-shaped object was heightened by having been part of Tipu’s golden throne, which the ruler vowed he would never use until he had his kingdom of the British. When his enemies defeated Tipu instead, the throne was dismantled for booty, an act that greatly upset the governor-general at the time, the future Duke of Wellington.
SOMETHING NEW
Sotheby’s took a more substantial gamble ahead of its London sale by testing the market in Qatar. It was a bold move in a slightly different location from the now rather predictable setting of Dubai. The number of pieces was small and the quality high, but the timing was not good – except for Safavid velvet. A rare panel in superb condition, depicting the unusual subject of ladies out hunting, went for 10 times its estimate to fetch US$3.4 million. Only four other lots were sold at the auction, although it has to be said that the entire lineup was very select.
Back in London, the other auction house that generated some excitement was Bonhams. As elsewhere, the standard offerings were received with little enthusiasm. A few items did extremely well. Among these was a curtain that would originally have hung from the Ka’ba in Mecca. This fetched more than GBP200,000. A large number of similar ‘burqas’ have been appearing on the market over the past few years, and many of them have turned out to be fakes. Still, the demand is insatiable for these supremely sacred objects, and when a confidence-inspiring example turns up, the prices can go very high. Kiswahs such as this one, ordered by the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II in 1828, are a reminder of how the Ka’bah used to feature more than just the black and gold that we see now. In the past, red and green were also included.
The most highly priced lot at Bonhams was a gold finial from the octagonal throne of Tipu Sultan. Sold for almost GBP400,000, it proved to be the most important piece of memorabilia from the Tiger of Mysore to appear at auction for a long time. The romantic appeal of the gem-encrusted, tiger-shaped object was heightened by having been part of Tipu’s golden throne, which the ruler vowed he would never use until he had his kingdom of the British. When his enemies defeated Tipu instead, the throne was dismantled for booty, an act that greatly upset the governor-general at the time, the future Duke of Wellington.
SOMETHING NEW
Tahira Kites and Shattered Dreams’ (60x70cm) by Maysaloun Faraj
In addition to all the major Islamic-art auctions, London has been the venue for a variety of Middle Eastern contemporary-art exhibitions lately. One that deserves special mention is Maysaloun Faraj’s ‘Boats and Burdens: Kites and Shattered Dreams’. Taking place in the somewhat unlikely environs of Fulham High Street, the show is at the Aya Gallery, which has been quietly working to promote mainly Iraqi artists for many years.
The artist expresses her motivation in terms that are quite familiar: “Having left Iraq in 1982, a land in which I am deeply rooted and a people whom I dearly love, it was humanity and the human condition that interested and concerned me most. As an Iraqi, an Arab and a Moslem woman with an East/West upbringing, it is conflict, war, injustice, human rights, human wrongs and beauty lost that informs much of my work today.” Despite this depth of rather grown-up feeling, the works have serenity and a certain naivety on their side. In addition to evocative works in oil on canvas, Maysaloun Faraj has taken the less explored route of studio ceramics. The use of Arabic calligraphy on these pieces creates an eye-catching juxtaposition.
The exhibition was opened by Venetia Porter, who has done more than most to bring contemporary Middle Eastern art to the world. The exhibition that she curated at the British Museum in 2006, ‘Word into Art’, was perhaps the most formative event in this area ever staged. From the publicity point of view, however, the award would have to go to the media master Charles Saatchi. His new gallery near Sloane Square is the venue for ‘Unveiled: New Art from the Middle East’, which seems to have been the first time the majority of art writers in Britain had ever encountered works from the region. Many were shocked by the sophistication, and worried at the same time that they might have entered a potential Danish cartoon maelstrom.
The Saatchi exhibition ends on 9 May and will no doubt surprise those who see it before it closes. Unlike the subtle and usually small-scale works of calligraphy on display at ‘Word into Art’, this is the Middle East transformed by the aesthetics of Hoxton Square. It’s like YBAs reborn with the same attitude but different issues. As always, there are plenty of Iranian artists and no shortage of comment on the role of women in traditional Muslim societies. If visitors are looking for a really huge impression, then Kadir Attia’s ‘Ghost’ is guaranteed to do the job. This haunting vision of ranks of women at prayer wearing Bakofoil chadors is well worth seeing. Most remarkably, entry to all Saatchi exhibitions is free.
Also in London, the energetic Xerxes Gallery has two exhibitions that opened at the end of April. This is immediately after a very short exhibition of works by Lelyly Matine-Daftary, one of the best-connected of Iran’s modern artists, being the daughter and the granddaughter of Iranian prime ministers. For the month of May, continuing until 17 July, there is ‘Breaking the Mould’, a project by Mahmoud Kalari and Ali Rahbar, and Ali Adjalli’s ‘Retrospective’, The former offers some interesting photographic perspectives – and chadors aplenty. The sight of black-clad women carrying huge Farsi letters through the desert with a remarkable blue sky is dazzling and unexpected. Ali Adjalli takes a more painterly approach with acrylic on canvas. The works are fundamentally calligraphic but taking a distinctive approach of dense, interlocking script that is at the same time liberating to look at.
In the other leading centre of Middle Eastern art, the Gulf, the Heritage House Gallery celebrates its first anniversary this month. Based in Dubai, this venue has gone beyond the usual paintings and sculptures to specialise in mosaic and stained glass as well. By the standards of the region, the building is very historic indeed, having been constructed in 1925. Ending on 23 May are two exhibitions by Iranian artists Jamshid Bayrami and Mehdi Saeedi.
Bayrami is known around the world for his photojournalism, which has appeared in magazines such as Time and The Economist. For the exhibition ‘Haj’, he has turned his lens towards Mecca, which he photographed extensively in 2006. The results are among the most captivating images of an event that is already filled with drama on a huge scale. The combination of a photographer and a calligrapher seems a popular formula at the moment. Mehdi Saeedi is an accomplished calligraphy, albeit with the inevitable twist in the tail of his letters. Using the visual opportunities presented by the dancing and sensual nature of the Arabic script, he provides a wholly conceptual approach to create the notions of movement, speed, velocity, space and colour, and to create a variety of optical illusions that are reminiscent of Bridget Riley.
A more established gallery in Dubai, The Third Line, has an exhibition ending 21 May. Once again the artist is Iranian, although he has been living in California for many years. This second solo exhibition of paintings by Amir H. Fallah is a humorous investigation into the grey area of memory and monument. Each painting in ‘Make It Believe’ weaves narrative threads together, collected from Fallah’s personal experiences, art history, pop culture or invented recollections. This is the last show at the Third Line’s warehouse gallery space before it moves to the Shelter in Al Quoz.
SOMETHING TO BORROW?
Spink publishes Omer Diler’s definitive work on Islamic coins
Great books on Islamic coinage are a rare phenomenon. The latest publication from Spink sets a new standard in the field. ‘Islamic Mints’ by Omer Diler is the definitive book, encompassing three volumes and costing GBP225. Work began in the 1970s, when Diler decided to research every mint in Islamic history, from the 7th to the 20th century. From the beginning the author had doubts whether this could be accomplished in his lifetime; and he was right about this. He died four years ago, but the 2,000-page book has now been published. It includes almost 2,000 mint names, mint inscriptions and minting years. Gold, silver and bronze issues are all covered.
Islamic numismatics is still a neglected field. Used primarily by historians, there is now growing awareness of their aesthetic value. As vehicles of calligraphic expression, they play an important role. For those seeking the sort of sculptural quality of ancient Greek or Roman coins, there will be considerable disappointment. For those who see the written word as the supreme expression of Islamic sensibilities, coins are a vital resource. At last there is a comprehensive survey of the field.
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