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| Khalili Collections | |
|---|---|
| Name | Khalili Collections |
| Founder | Nasser David Khalili |
| Established | 1980s |
| Location | London |
| Type | Art collection |
| Items | 35,000+ |
Khalili Collections are eight distinct private art collections assembled by Nasser David Khalili. They encompass Islamic art, Japanese art, metalwork, enamel, ceramics, arms and armour, textiles, and modern calligraphy, and are noted for their scholarship, exhibitions, and publications.
The collections were formed by Nasser David Khalili during the late 20th century, with roots in acquisitions made in Tehran, Cairo, Istanbul, Marrakesh, and Mumbai. Early purchases involved dealers and auction houses in London, Paris, and New York City, and collaborations with museums such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art influenced curatorial direction. Patronage networks included partnerships with the Royal Academy of Arts, the Ashmolean Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution, while academic engagement featured curators and scholars from University of Oxford, SOAS University of London, and the Courtauld Institute of Art.
The eight sub-collections focus on distinct historical geographies and media: Islamic art spanning Al-Andalus, Safavid dynasty, Ottoman Empire, and Mughal Empire; Japanese art covering Edo period works and Meiji period art; Japanese armour and swords linked to the Tokugawa shogunate; enamels and precious metals associated with workshops of Paris and Vienna; Spanish damascened metalwork connected to Toledo traditions; ceramics including pieces from Song dynasty and Iznik wares; arms and armour reflecting European, Asian, and Middle Eastern martial cultures such as the Napoleonic Wars and the Mamluk Sultanate; and modern and contemporary art involving artists influenced by Calligraphy in Islamic art and regional movements. Collecting emphasized provenance from collections of the Teyler Museum, the Hermitage Museum, and aristocratic holdings like those of the Duke of Northumberland.
Signature items include rare manuscripts and illuminated Qur'ans associated with calligraphers of the Timurid Empire, Japanese folding screens by artisans of the Rinpa school, and Moghul album miniatures tied to emperors such as Akbar and Shah Jahan. Metalwork highlights comprise damascened swords linked to masters from Toledo, gold and enamel objects by Fabergé-era craftsmen, and Ottoman arms from the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. Ceramic masterpieces include Iznik pottery and Song dynasty celadons once traded along the Silk Road while textile rarities feature Safavid suzanis and Mughal brocades associated with courts of Isfahan and Agra. The collection’s modern calligraphy holdings include works by artists connected to the Hurufiyya movement and contemporary exhibitions featuring figures associated with institutions such as the Tate Modern.
Works have been lent to major exhibitions at the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museo del Prado, the Louvre, the Pergamon Museum, and the Hermitage Museum. Touring exhibitions traveled to venues including the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, the Ahmedabad Museum, and the Tokyo National Museum. Collaborative displays paired items with holdings from the Getty Museum, the Rijksmuseum, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and special exhibitions highlighted intersections with collections such as the Sackler Gallery and the Royal Collection.
Conservation projects have been undertaken in partnership with the Courtauld Institute of Art, the Natural History Museum, London conservation labs, and university departments at University College London and Columbia University. Research fellowships and cataloguing initiatives involved specialists in paleography and material culture from University of Cambridge, the School of Oriental and African Studies, and the Warburg Institute. Scientific analysis employed techniques developed at institutions like the Rijksmuseum and the National Gallery, facilitating studies of pigments, metallurgy, and textile fibers.
Educational outreach included lectures and seminars with academics from King’s College London, gallery talks at the Serpentine Galleries, and school programs in partnership with the British Library and regional museums such as the Ashmolean Museum. Publications produced by the collection’s publishing arm featured catalogues raisonnés and scholarly monographs collaborating with presses connected to Oxford University Press, Brill, and Bloomsbury. Scholarships and fellowships supported postgraduate research at centers including the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts and the Royal College of Art.
The collections have been widely cited in scholarship on Islamic art, Japanese art, and material culture studies, influencing exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and publication agendas at the British Museum. They have prompted debate about private collecting practices alongside discussions involving the International Council of Museums and provenance standards promoted by the Spoliation Advisory Panel. Acquisitions and loans have shaped public access to works originating from regions including Iran, India, Turkey, and Japan, and have stimulated interdisciplinary research across museums and universities.
Category:Private art collections