Archive
A JOURNEY INTO IRAQI KURDISTAN
Photo by Mark Edward Harris, Cooling off beneath the Gali Begg waterfall
Off to Erbil or Arbil in Iraqi Kurdistan – where civilization goes back 5,000 years, where one finds one of the oldest Christian monasteries, Mar Mattai clinging to the side of a mountain where some 7, 000 monks once lived during the ninth century; where the Persian King Darius III “met” Alexander the Great, -a hauntingly beautiful countryside of high mountains and low valleys, by plane one hour and 40 minutes from Amman to Arbil – what is there not to like!!!! Tour operators are counting on more and more tourists if and when the war winds down.
Next time I am in Austria …….not that far away any more……
Read the article in NYT Travel section February 4th, page one and four.
Cheers,
Elisabeth
THE SOUTHERN GATES OF ARABIA, A JOURNEY IN THE HADHRAMAUT
I seem to turn more and more to adventure, travel and explorer books- for the body, the mind and the soul.
FREYA STARK
by Caroline Moorehead
1985
THE SOUTHERN GATES OF ARABIA, A JOURNEY IN THE HADHRAMAUT
by Freya Stark with introduction by Jane Fletcher
1936/2001
The two books by and about Freya Stark born in Paris 1893 I am reading again. Freya Stark fearlessly traveled alone to Persia, Iraq, sailed down the Red Sea following the ancient frankincense trail, and followed in the steps of Alexander the Great. She was an explorer, a historian, an archeologist and a writer in between working in places like Baghdad and sleeping in the tents of Bedouins. She was made Dame of the British Empire in 1972.
Where should we go next?
Cheers,
Elisabeth
THE NINE DOMES MOSQUE in Afghanistan
A 9th century mosque in northern Afghanistan in Balkh province ca. 12 miles west of Mazar-i-Sharif. Discovered or re-discovered in 1960 by an American archaeologist but not excavated and inspected until 2006. We know that Genghis Khan and many earthquakes destroyed many monuments in Balkh province.
Carbon dating and historical sources suggest that the mosque could have been built as early as 794 – Julio Sarmiento-Bendezu, director of the French Archeological Delegation in Afghanistan, the leader of the excavations said that this early date means that the mosque of the (Persian) Abbasid Empire has been influenced by Afghanistan and not the other way around. The mosque would have once been studded with lapis lazuli and turquoise.
Would it not be nice if we could visit the mosque and travel through Afghanistan again as some of us were able to do before the wars started.
Cheers,
Elisabeth
CLAREMONT RUG COMPANY IN OAKLAND
https://www.claremontrug.com/50-best-of-their-type-2017/
CLAREMONT RUG COMPANY IN OAKLAND
This is an exhibition temporarily displayed on the website of Claremont Rug Company showing the top quality carpets they have sold during the previous year.
A total of fifty carpets dating from ca. 1800 to ca. 1875 in a variety of designs of Persian and Caucasian styles. While most carpets would be for billionaire buyers I get pleasure from seeing and admiring and learning about the best of the best. And I am happy to see an increase of antique Oriental rugs used as wall art and space dividers. “Regular” rug enthusiasts like me have always used very modest rugs as cover for my display desk, on a table and on the wall like my old Heriz – a baptismal present from my grandmother.
Cheers,
Elisabeth
THREE EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS IN HOUSTON
MODERNISM ON THE GANGES: RAGHUBIR SINGH PHOTOGRAPHS
https://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/modernism-on-the-ganges-raghubir-singh-photographs
March 3 – June 3, 2018
Raghubir Singh, born in Jaipur (1942-1999) lived in Asia and Europe and often returned to his native India. In 90 images and over a thirty year period, Singh who was influenced by Cartier-Bresson, photographed often with a hand-held camera in color everyday life and festivals. One of my favorite is the one showing the Professional Lunch Distributor or Dhabadwallah with his tiffin boxes.
BESTOWING BEAUTY:MASTERPIECES FROM PERSIAN LANDS
https://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/bestowing-beauty-masterpieces-persian-lands
Through February 11, 2018
Comprising some 100 works of art from the 6th to the 19th century on view to the public for the first time, from the Hossein Afshar Collection, one of the most important collections of Persian art in private hands……..does anybody have information about Hossein Afshar?
PEACOCK IN THE DESERT: THE ROYAL ARTS OF JODHPUR, INDIA
https://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/peacock-in-desert-royal-arts-jodhpur-india
March 4 – August 19, 2018
Masterpieces never before seen outside the palace walls of the kingdom of Marwar-Jodhpur in Rajasthan, covering four centuries of sumptuous jewels, arms and armor, intricately carved furnishings, a monumental 17th century court tent, paintings and textiles – all together some 250 objects from Indian courtly life together with large scale photo murals will be shown.
Exhibit runs concurrent with Raghubir Singh’s photo exhibit it.
PERSIAN LIME STONE RELIEF FRAGMENT FROM PERSEPOLIS SEIZED BY MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY FROM A DEALER EXHIBITING AT TEFAF NEW YORK IN OCTOBER 2017. VALUED AT $ 1.2mil.
Dealers and clients have almost become used to accusations of cultural property thefts – but something that has been in the public eye and displayed at a museum for some sixty years?
Read the article in the Antiques Trade Gazette.
ASIA SOCIETY TEXAS CENTER IN HOUSTON
http://asiasociety.org/texas/exhibitions/wondrous-worlds-art-islam-through-time-place
Wondrous Worlds: Art & Islam Through Time & Place
9 September 2017 – 25 February 2018
Featuring more than 100 outstanding works of art, Wondrous Worlds: Art & Islam through Time & Place will showcase the long history, vast geographic expanse, and amazing diversity of works of art in the Islamic world.
Two factors distinguish this exhibition: first, the inclusion of works from Southeast Asia and East and West Africa, areas largely overlooked in most exhibitions of Islamic art; and second, modern and contemporary works are featured side-by-side with historic objects.
Works in the exhibition cover nearly all media, ranging from carpets to dress to jewelry, ceramics, glass, metal, paintings, prints, calligraphy and photographs. This exhibition will delight viewers with dazzling works that span over 1,400 years of artistry.
This exhibition is organized by the Newark Museum.
Nationally, the exhibition is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Exhibitions at Asia Society Texas Center are presented by Wells Fargo. Major support comes from Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, Nancy C. Allen, Leslie and Brad Bucher, the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance and the Anchorage Foundation. Generous funding also provided by The Clayton Fund, Kathy and Glen Gondo, Ann Wales, and through contributions from the Friends of Asia Society, a premier group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional exhibitions and programming to Asia Society Texas Center. （Asia Society)
Cheers,
Elisabeth
