Art Daily
Jan 6 2009
British Museum to Open Shah ‘Abbas: The Remaking of Iran
LONDON.- In February 2009, the British Museum will open the first
major exhibition to explore the rule and legacy of Shah ‘Abbas, one of
the formative figures in the creation of modern Iran. Shah of Iran
from 1587 ` 1629 AD, he is remembered as one of the country’s most
influential kings and a great military leader, ruling Iran at a time
of political renewal, when it succeeded in positioning itself as a
world power with a sharply defined national identity.
Shah ‘Abbas came to the throne in 1587, the fifth ruler of the Safavid
Dynasty. Through trade, patronage and diplomacy Shah ‘Abbas fostered
good relations with Europe and ushered in a golden period in the arts,
commissioning beautiful works of art and grand architecture. He was a
great builder and restorer of major monuments across the country and
this architectural legacy will provide the context in which to explore
the themes of his reign. The exhibition will feature luxurious
gold-ground carpets, exquisite Chinese porcelains, illustrated
manuscripts, watercolour paintings, metalwork and beautiful silks,
objects similar to those Shah ‘Abbas gave to important religious sites
across Iran. The famous calligrapher Ali Riza ‘Abbasi was a key figure
throughout Shah ‘Abbas’s reign and examples of his work will feature
prominently in the exhibition.
Shah ‘Abbas was a man with a strong sense of personal piety; though
Shi’ism was declared the state religion of Iran in 1501, it was Shah
‘Abbas who consolidated its preeminence through the rule of law and
the suppression of heterodox Shi’i sects and extremist dervish
orders. The clerics in the circle of Shah ‘Abbas established the
parameters of Shi’i orthodoxy and in so doing strengthened the role of
the religious elite throughout Iran.
In association with The Iran Heritage Foundation, the exhibition will
feature extraordinary loans, never before seen outside of Iran,
alongside loans from Europe and the US. The exhibition is the third in
a series examining empire and power in different parts of the globe
and follows exhibitions on the First Emperor of China and the Roman
emperor Hadrian.
"Shah ‘Abbas was restless, decisive, ruthless and intelligent. This
exhibition will provide a rare opportunity to learn about this
important ruler. Shah ‘Abbas was a critical figure in the development
of Iran and his legacy is still with us today." Sheila Canby, curator
of the exhibition
The exhibition will focus on four key sites which Shah `Abbas
transformed or embellished as public statements of royal power.
Isfahan: the new capital
Shah ‘Abbas made Isfahan his new capital in 1598 and it became his
main administrative city and the seat of his power. He completed an
ambitious building programme, including the construction of a royal
palace and his personal mosque (named after his father-in-law and
spiritual advisor Shaykh Lutf Allah) as well as new quarters for the
Safavid elite and the Armenian merchant class which drove Iran’s
international silk trade. It was also the site of the royal artists’
workshop, led by the famous calligrapher Ali Riza ‘Abbasi.
Ardabil: the ancestral shrine
Ardabil contains the tomb of Shaykh Safi, a fourteenth-century sufi
mystic and ancestor of Shah ‘Abbas. The site contained a lodge for
dervishes who followed the Shaykh’s teaching and was the dynastic
shrine of the Shah’s family. Under Shah ‘Abbas the role of this
complex as a symbol of the Safavid Dynasty grew. He renovated the
shrine, gifting magnificent decorative objects, including precious
Chinese porcelains, mosque lamps and important manuscripts, examples
of which can been seen in the exhibition.
Mashhad: the tomb of the martyred Imam
Mashhad is a holy shrine of huge significance. It is the burial site
of Imam Riza, the only Shi’i imam, or infallible spiritual guide, who
is buried in Iran. The Shah himself walked in pilgrimage to the shrine
from Isfahan, a distance of 600 miles. It houses the Shah’s collection
of Qur’ans and Arabic scientific manuscripts and other elegant
furnishings for the many chambers of the shrine. Objects similar to
those given by the Shah to Mashhad will be on display.
Qum: studying the faith
Qum is the shrine of Fatimeh Ma’sumeh, the sister of Imam Riza and a
focus of Safavid female piety and spirituality. By the seventeenth
century many religious colleges were associated with the shrine, a
situation that continues to this day. At the very end of his reign
Shah ‘Abbas took a particular interest in this shrine and after his
death his successors donated exquisite silk brocades, calligraphy and
manuscripts.
Research, undertaken by the British Museum’s Dr Sheila Canby and
Professor Robert Gleave from Exeter University, investigating the
importance of Shah ‘Abbas in renovating these key religious spaces
have contributed to a better/greater understanding of their
importance. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
this research has been key in the preparation of the exhibition.
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