The world of Islamic and Arab art is well-known for its beautiful calligraphy, its manuscript miniatures, the exquisite geometric designs on wood, its pottery and silverware, but little has been said until now about another important aspect of Arab culture, namely its embroidery. This exhibiton, which was on display in Leiden between March and August 2010, is dedicated to the various types of embroidery from the Arab world. It includes over 60 examples of embroidery, from various Arab countries including the Eastern Mediterranean, Egypt, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen.
The oldest embroideries that are included are two fragments from children’s tunics, which date from about the 5th century A.D. These rare pieces come from Coptic Egypt. More recent items include an early 20th century dress and velvet jacket from Bethlehem; a late 20th century man’s cloak from the High Atlas mountains of Morocco, Bedouin dresses from the Northern Sinai; wedding dresses from Morocco, the Siwa Oasis (Egypt) and Saudi Arabia, as well as various types of indigo dresses from Yemen.
The exhibition is now available for display elsewhere. It includes more than sixty examples of embroidery, worked on garments and accessories. There are complete outfits and individual garments, embroidered shoes, as well as textboards, samplers and photographs. The exhibition is accompanied by a book with the same title.
