Persia, Thirty Centuries of Art And Culture
31 March - 16 September 2007
Organised by: Hermitage Amsterdam
Nieuwe Herengracht 14
1018 DP Amsterdam
The Netherlands
P.O. Box 11675
1001 GR Amsterdam
The Netherlands
The Hermitage in St. Petersburg has a splendid collection of Persian works of art. It includes many interesting pieces covering the whole of Persian history from antiquity to the end of the Qajar dynasty (1785-1925). From antiquity there are several sculptures, among them a fragment from the ruined city of Persepolis, and gold produced by the Scythians from the area north and west of the Persian Empire. Several gold objects were originally owned by Tsar Peter the Great.
From the Islamic period come beautiful examples of Persian earthenware: tiles - renowned for their lustre decoration and once part of famous mausoleums - , vases and dishes. Weapons, made of steel and gold and inlaid with coloured stones, also demonstrate the Persians' sublime mastery of this art. The Qajar period shows the Western influence on traditional Persian art: here the objects are chiefly diplomatic gifts and military trophies. The rich collection in St. Petersburg makes it possible to present an impressive survey of the history of Persian civilisation.
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