Masterpieces from the world-renowned Keir collection of Islamic art are comprehensively shown, for the first time, in this publication. A selection of 112 exquisite objects instills an appreciation for the wealth and magnificence of oriental art, with a focus on filling gaps between more widely represented styles and periods with particularly rare and unusal finds.
Assembled over a period of fifty years, the collection - internationally known as the Keir collection - of Hungarian Edmund de Unger, encompasses almost all the periods and artistic landscapes of Islamic core-countries, the Mediterranean and central Asia. In its stylistic breadth and archaeological value, the collection measures up to those of all major museums of Islamic art. De Unger has made it his objective to systematically select objects which are rarely represented and styles which still cause controversy among researchers. With a discerning eye, he has tracked them down at markets and, above all, in famous old collections. Among the treasures shown in the volume are calligaphies, books and manuscripts, dating back up to six centuries, along with ceramics, metal art, silk and velvet brocades and awe-inspiring rock crystal objects made during he reign of the Fatimids in Egypt (969-1171). With its illuminating texts and vibrant images, the book makes for a fascinating and inspiring read.