British Museum to explore Safavid Iran
Shah Abbas I
The
British Museum is scheduled to mount an exhibition exploring the rule
and legacy of the influential Safavid king, Shah Abbas I.
The event, to be held in February 2009, will exhibit items from the Iran Heritage Foundation, Europe and the US.
Gold-ground carpets, Chinese porcelains, illustrated manuscripts, watercolor paintings, metalwork will be displayed at the event along with objects similar to those donated by Shah Abbas to religious sites in Iran.
Sheikh Safi mausoleum, Ardabil, Iran
Calligraphy works by the renowned Safavid artist Ali-Reza Abbasi will also be displayed at the exhibition, artdaily reported.
The four-section event will explore four key sites which were transformed or embellished during the reign of Shah Abbas.
Isfahan: The New Capital will focus on the historical city of Isfahan as the Safavid king's capital and main administrative city.
Ardabil: The Ancestral Shrine will introduce the city where the 14th-century Sufi mystic and Shah Abbas' ancestor, Sheikh Safi has been laid to rest.
The king renovated the Sheikh Safi mausoleum and donated valuable porcelains, lamps and manuscripts to the shrine.
Mashhad: The Tomb of the Martyred Imam will explore the northeastern city of Mashhad where the shrine of Imam Reza (PBUP), the 8th Shia Imam stands.
Shah Abbas walked in pilgrimage to the shrine from Isfahan and donated furnishings, exquisite Qur'ans and scientific Arabic manuscripts.
Qom: Studying the Faith will focus on the city of Qom where the sister of Imam Reza (PBUH) Fatima Masoumeh (PBUP) has been laid to rest.
Shah abbas devoted special attention to the site near the end of his reign. His successors donated silk brocades, calligraphy and manuscripts to the holy shrine.
The exhibition will be the third in a series of events examining different empires around the world. The First Emperor of China and the Roman emperor Hadrian were the focus of the first two exhibitions.
Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the exhibition has been based on the research conducted by the British Museum's Dr Sheila Canby and Professor Robert Gleave from Exeter University.
Shah Abbas, who ruled Iran from 1587 - 1629 CE, is known as one of the country's most influential kings, who greatly contributed to the country's art.
Numerous monuments were restored and dozens of others were built by Shah Abbas, which still dazzle visitors with their stunning architecture.
