Is it allowed? Has it been done? Where and how?
These are some of the key questions that are dealt with in the David Collection’s new exhibition, which focuses on a controversial subject: The Human Figure in Islamic Art.
The Human Figure in Islamic Art – Holy Men, Princes, and Commoners
November 23, 2017
New special exhibition
The David Collection’s special exhibition, The Human Figure in Islamic Art –
Holy Men, Princes, and Commoners, will open on November 24th.
The exhibition presents 75 masterpieces from large parts of the classical Islamic world to about 1850, all of them featuring human figures.
Many people believe that it is forbidden to depict human figures in the Islamic cultural sphere, or at least the Prophet Muhammad. This is a qualified truth, however. While some Muslims have criticized and even destroyed human depictions, considering them to be idols, others have from the very beginning of the Islamic era commissioned works of art with human figures as an essential element.
They appear on everything from utility ware such as ceramic dishes, inlaid metalwork, and textiles to architecture. Human figures are especially found, however, on the detailed miniature paintings that illustrate manuscripts or are independent works of art. The exhibition focuses on the different ways in which the human figure has been used in Islamic art, from an ornament and symbol to scientific diagrams, narrative illustrations, and independent paintings or drawings.
The exhibition’s works of art were mainly made for the highest social strata in the Muslim world, and a dominant theme is “The Prince and the Court,” which features both actual portraits of rulers and depictions of the princes’ public and more relaxed, private life. “The Religious Sphere” presents depictions of many of the men and women that Islam has in common with Judaism and Christianity, for example Noah, King Solomon, and Jesus and the Virgin Mary. The Prophet Muhammad is also found on several paintings, as are the many people who in later periods dedicated their lives to God.
In many cases, it is striking that there is not a great difference between how depictions of the human figure appear in the Islamic world and in the West. The theme “Love” thus presents examples of infatuation, unrequited love, erotic desire, and love of God.
All of the works on exhibit are from the museum’s own collection. Several are new acquisitions and are presented here for the first time, for example “The Dervish from Faryab Crosses the River on his Rug,” shown above.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the David Collection has published an extensive catalogue in collaboration with Strandberg Publishing. See the press release here.
The authors are the David Collection’s director, Kjeld von Folsach, and its senior curator, Joachim Meyer. The catalogue moreover features a chapter by Professor Jakob Skovgaard-Petersen, University of Copenhagen, who considers the human figure in the Islamic world from a modern perspective.
To order copies and photos for the press, please contact Mette Wibeck at [email protected] or call +45 40 75 34 76. See the press kit at www.strandbergpublishing.dk/presse
The exhibition will be open from November 24, 2017, to May 13, 2018.
Admission to the museum and the special exhibition is free.
The David Collection
Kronprinsessegade 30
1306 Copenhagen K
Tel. + 45 33 73 49 49
www.davidmus.dk
More press
2/2/2025
Curator of Art from the islamic World
Application deadline: 2 February 2025 at 10:00 PM (GMT+1)
The David Collection is looking for a skilled and dedicated curator to join the curatorial team responsible for managing our distinguished collection of art from the Islamic world. If you are passionate about the arts and cultures of the Islamic world and enthusiastic about engaging audiences through exhibitions, publications and research activities, we encourage you to apply.
About the museum
The David Collection is a private museum located in central Copenhagen which houses one of the world’s finest collections of art from the Islamic world as well as an exquisite collection of early modern Danish art and European art from the 17th-19th centuries. The museum was founded by the Danish lawyer and avid art collector Christian Ludvig David (1878–1960) and is today owned and operated by the C. L. David Foundation.
Since the 1960s, the collection of art from the Islamic world has continually expanded through new acquisitions, and today it comprises more than 3,000 works of art from across the Islamic world, created between the 7th and 19th centuries. The collection covers a broad range of categories, including miniature painting, calligraphy, ceramics, textiles, metalwork, glass and woodcarving. In addition to being showcased in an extensive permanent display across two floors, these works of art are also presented through temporary thematic exhibitions and explored in detail in the scholarly Journal of The David Collection.
About the position
The David Collection is a small but dedicated institution with a flat organisational structure that encourages initiative as well as collaboration across departments and fields of expertise.
As a curator you will join two curatorial colleagues and our director in caring for the art historical management of the Islamic collection. You will also be working closely with our curator of Danish and European art, our conservator, registrar and librarian as well as our department of communication and technical staff.
Responsibilities and duties
· Maintaining and developing the permanent Islamic exhibition.
· Organising thematic exhibitions.
· Writing informative and engaging texts about Islamic art, spanning from objects labels to articles for exhibition catalogues and academic journals.
· Producing content for our website and digital platforms.
· Conducting research related to possible new acquisitions.
· Studying and cataloguing new acquisitions and organising their integration into the permanent exhibition.
· Participating in the training of new student assistants for The David Collection’s educational programme.
· Responding to correspondence related to the collection and assisting visiting colleagues and researchers.
· Editing and contributing to the scholarly Journal of The David Collection.
· Giving lectures as part of our event programme David’s Bazar.
Prerequisites:
· A Ph.D. degree within a relevant field of study, e.g. Islamic Art history, Islamic Archaeology, Islamic studies or Islamic History.
· Reading proficiency in at least one of the following languages: Arabic, Persian or Ottoman Turkish.
· High proficiency in English as a written and spoken language.
· Proficiency in Danish or willingness to learn Danish within the first two years of employment.
· Work experience from related institutions (preferable).
What we offer
You will become a part of a highly motivated team dedicated to caring for an outstanding collection of fine art in the heart of Copenhagen. As a curator you will be able to work directly with the objects of the Islamic collection and make use of our rich research library to expand your knowledge of the field. You will also be encouraged to share this knowledge through publications as well as through public lectures.
Application and further details:
Start of employment: as soon as possible.
The position is a full-time permanent position of 37 hours per week with fixed working hours. Salary and conditions in accordance with the collective agreement for academics in Danish state employment. The position also includes pension and employee benefits.
The position is based at The David Collection in Copenhagen. You will therefore be expected to be located within daily commuting distance of the museum.
Application (in English or Danish), resumé, a list of publications and contact information for two references should be submitted in the form of a single document in .doc or .pdf-format sent to [email protected] with ‘Curator of art from the Islamic World’ in the subject heading. The deadline for submission is 2 February 2025, at 10:00 PM (GMT+1).
We expect to hold the first round of interviews in-person at The David Collection in February of 2025
If you have questions about the position, please contact Director Joachim Meyer at [email protected] or by calling +45 33 73 49 49. Additional information can also be found on our website www.davidmus.dk
1/2/2025
Bibliotekar søges
Davids Samling er et privat, fondsejet museum beliggende i hjertet af København, som huser en af verdens fineste samlinger af kunst fra den islamiske verden såvel som nyere dansk og ældre europæisk kunst og kunsthåndværk. I relation hertil rummer museet også et bibliotek og arkivsamlinger.
Biblioteket, der bestyres af en enkelt bibliotekar, er et specialbibliotek for islamisk kunst (ca. 11.000 titler), men der er også mindre emnegrupper relateret til museets øvrige samlinger. Det er et præcensbibliotek fordelt over flere rum og etager og uden adgang for brugere udefra. Biblioteket rummer litteratur på dansk, engelsk, tysk, fransk, spansk, noget italiensk, græsk, russisk, tyrkisk og mindre på arabisk, persisk m.m.
Om dig
Du er en positiv person, der ud over kærlighed til bøger også interesserer dig for ældre kunst og kultur – og gerne for den islamiske verden. Du har bibliotekserfaring og har måske arbejdet på en kulturinstitution. Du er empatisk og er vant til at indgå i et arbejdsmiljø med mange fagligheder.
Du vil i biblioteket komme til at beskæftige dig med
- - Indsamling/bestilling via gennemgang af boghandler- og forlagslister, katalogisering og systemplacering af litteratur inden for museets emneområder samt bistå de ansatte i deres søgning.
- - Evt. forbedring af den anvendte systematik samt organisering og nyopstilling af bogsamlingen.
- - Registrering i museets database af publiceringer af museets genstande.
- - Registrering af museets forskelligartede arkivmateriale.
- - Indlægning i database af de digitale etikettetekster (på dansk og engelsk).
- - Korrekturlæsning af museets tekster og publikationer, på både dansk og engelsk.
- - Vikar som ”postmester” på museumsmailen. Evt. andet, museumsfagligt arbejde.
Vi forventer, at du er
- - Bibliotekar D.B. eller Cand.scient.bibl. eller har anden relevant uddannelse.
- - at du har sproglig viden om dansk, engelsk, helst også tysk og fransk. Kendskab til visse andre sprog vil også være en fordel.er god til korrekturlæsning på dansk og engelsk.
- - kan katalogisere i bibliotekssystemet Reindex.
- - kan arbejde selvstændigt og sammen med andre.
- - er fleksibel i forhold til arbejdsopgavernes skiftende karakter.
- - er i rimelig god fysisk form, da arbejdet involverer nogen gang på trapper.
Om os
Som bibliotekar bliver du en del af en spændende og dynamisk arbejdsplads, hvor der er ressourcer til at tænke ambitiøst og langsigtet. Du kommer til at arbejde tæt sammen med engagerede kolleger, som alle nærer stor kærlighed til museet og samlingerne. Hverdagen hos os er kendetegnet ved godt humør og høje ambitioner udfoldet i smukke omgivelser. Vi er en mindre organisation, og vi løfter i flok.
Ansættelsesvilkår
Stillingen er en fuldtidsstilling, som forventes besat pr. 1. marts 2025. Løn efter kompetencer og erfaring.
Ansøgningsfrist 2. januar 2025 kl. 12.
Første samtale forventes afholdt d. 21. og 22. januar
Ansøgning, cv og relevante bilag stiles til [email protected], i emnefeltet: Bibliotekar.
Har du spørgsmål, er du velkommen til inden 20.12 at ringe eller skrive til Nana Kloster Lund: 33734949, eller [email protected].
4/19/2024
Mere end Ord. Kalligrafi fra den islamiske verden.
Fra den 24. maj kan du gå på opdagelse i den islamiske kalligrafi som kunstart og dens historie, når Davids Samling åbner dørene til særudstillingen ”Mere end ord – kalligrafi fra den islamiske verden”. Og titlen skal tages helt bogstaveligt, for ordene og de smukke bogstaver antager flere betydninger.
4/27/2023
Samlerens Valg
Fra den 12. maj viser Davids Samling en udstilling med nyere dansk kunst, primært købt af C.L. David selv.