One talks about us: Positive feedback on our facsimile edition “Masterpieces of Islamic Book Illumination”

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After a very succesful participation during the International Bookfair in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), which took place from the 25th of April to the 1st of May 2018 in the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, we are very happy for the positive feedback. We took advantage of the window of opportunity for presenting our newest facsimile edition “Masterpieces of Islamic Book Illumination”.

For more than 1000 years marvelous manuscripts have been created in the whole Islamic world. For the first time some of them are reproduced partially as true-to-original fine art facsimile single pages. They form a worldwide unique collection which demonstrates the calligrapher’s and illuminator’s artistry from more them 10 centuries and from different cultures of the Islamic world.

Each sheet was faithfully reproduced, whereby every aspect has been recreated down to the smallest detail, starting from the colouring to the gold refinement and the side trimming. A noble passe-partout envelopes each facsimile page, accompanying them with a description text in English and Arabic. All sheets are protected by a luxury presentation folder appointed with gold leaf.

This edition comprises in total 20 fine art facsimile single pages. A special selection of twelve of these single pages is published in a strictly limited luxury edition, and they are collected in a ledern presentation case with gold embossing.

(product information: “Masterpieces of Islamic Book Illumination”).

  • Schema von Mekka: schema of Mecca, Qibla-Diagramm mit 40 Miḥrābs. Aus: Seeatlas von al-Sharafi, Tunesien, 1551 (Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 2278, folio 2v), Schema of Mecca: qibla-diagram with 40 miḥrābs, Sea Atlas of al-Sharafi, Tunis, 958 AH/1551 CE
  • Die zwei Schakale Kalila and Dimna. Aus: Kalila wa Dimna, Syrien, 1200–20 (Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 3465, folio 48r), The Two Jackals, Kalila and Dimna, Kalila wa Dimna, Syria, 596–617 AH/1200–1220 CE
  • Jagdszene. Aus: Abhandlung über die Jagd, Mailand, 1459 (Chantilly, Musée Condé, Ms. 368, fol. 85r), Hunting scene, Treatise of Falconry and Hunting, Milan (Italy), 863 AH/1459 CE

It makes us happy to be able to give an interested audience worldwide an understanding of this unique cultural heritage of the Islamic world, without endangering the irreplaceable originals. We see ourselves as cultural ambassadors and, driven by our philosophy, it is our aim to contribute to this cultural exchange for a better understanding between peoples. We achieve this by creating books in top quality, using state-of-the-art technology, as well as traditional craftsmanship.

See also following links:

Masterpieces of Islamic Book Illumination: additional information about our facsimile edition

religion.ORF.at: press article about our facsimile edition by the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) in German

International Book Fair Abu Dhabi: Official website of the international book fair in Abu Dhabi