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The biggest city in Maryland is also famous for its Walter Arts Museum. The museum has unique, innate exhibits for display. These days, it is hosting a one of its kind ‘Qur’anic scriptures’ exhibition. These artifacts have been collected by Henry Walter between 1848 - 1931 explains his love and fascination for Islam and Islamic Art. Among the exhibits are those manuscript collected between ninth to nineteenth century. There are 28 manuscripts of innate work and 22 manuscripts are on display. The exhibit displays the unique calligraphic art and its various facets including the beginning stages of manuscripts is clearly visible before the popularity of paper as a medium for writing.
In the changing face of history where communities and cultures are rapidly changing, where mutual trust is dwindling, under these circumstances the cultural exchanges and its exhibition is the need of the hour. This not only opens a new chapter as stepping stones on the sands of time. It is to be noted a vast collection of Qur’anic scriptures in Metropolitan Museum of Art, free library of Philadelphia and Princeton library also has a vast collection. As far as the quantity of Qur’anic scriptures is concerned Walter Art Museum is a very example in itself.
Much of the vast collection of Walter Art Museum are its collectables collected by William Walter and his son Henry Walter between 1819-1896. Both father and son collected collectibles through out their life span. After the death of William Walter in 1931 Henry Walter dedicated for public viewing the huge collection which contained 68 artifacts. William Walter had an eye for artifacts from Asia, specially the collection of nineteen century. But his son Henry Walter expanded the collection and procured artifacts of Egypt and it became the collection till the beginning of twentieth century. A huge collection of Islamic Calligraphy is also a part of the artifacts and the credit goes to Henry. Expensive collection of the museum and the rear artifacts and its associate curator Martina Bingoli says “these 28 Qur’anic scriptures are the reminders of Henry contribution as collectibles, these scriptures “speak the word of God” and under this title the Qur’anic exhibition is currently underway which is displaying the Qur’anic manuscripts. These unique and innate work is a collection from North Africa to India. This speak of the artistic work of the craftsmen of Islamic world. Martina Bangoli says “from these beautiful collection and unique manuscripts one can understand and visualise how far Muslims love for Qur’an which took the calligraphic work to new and greater heights.
According to the press release of Walter Art Museum, the famous calligrapher of the fifteenth century Umar Khatah’s manuscripts copy of the Qur’an that has been procured from Metropolitan Museum of Art New York. It is said that Akhta wanted to make Timur Ling happy and presented a miniature Qur’an to him. The size of this Qur’an was such that it could be easily mounted on a finger ring. But Timur Ling did not recognise this talent. Timur not even uttered a word in praise of the talent. This attitude caused severe pain and injury to Akhta. But he did not loose hope he made a new copy of the Holy Qur’an which was so heavy and large that it had to be mounted on a cart and it was exhibited for public viewing at Bibi Khanum Jamia Masjid, located at Samarkhand in Central Asia. Every page of this five feet fourteen inch long. Few pages of this work of Art also been exhibited in this exhibition and it is attracting the crowds attention.
Walter Art Museum has made scientific arrangements to preserve these manuscripts and its colourful work. Every effort has been made to look these manuscripts to appear in its natural glory. Bangoli says “these manuscripts have been kept in the first floor of the Museum in a specially designed room which is free from the effects if changing weather and light conditions. Specially designed boxes have been made to keep these manuscripts, certain scriptures have been written on leather. The exhibit which will last for couple of months speaks of rich historic art in modern ambience. This work of innate art needs to be respected. Courtesy: Span
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