> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://serenademagazine.art/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # How Islamic Art Becomes a Masterpiece: Inside the Louvre Exhibition at the Smithsonian - URL: https://serenademagazine.art/how-islamic-art-becomes-a-masterpiece-inside-the-louvre-exhibition-at-the-smithsonian/ - Published: 2026-10-27T04:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-27T09:49:40.000Z - Description: Simon Rettig, co-curator of the Smithsonian's exhibition of Islamic art from the Louvre, discusses how 26 works reveal the shifting identities, cultural exchanges and historical journeys that shape our understanding of artistic masterpieces. - Author: Nikhil Sardana - Tags: Features The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C., presents *From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art*, an exhibition bringing together 26 exceptional works from the Musée du Louvre to examine how artworks acquire the status of masterpieces and how their identities change as they travel across cultures, courts and centuries. Open from 26 September 2026 to 18 January 2027, the exhibition marks the first time these works have been shown together in the United States and their only presentation in the country. Spanning the seventh to the nineteenth centuries, the selection features objects originating across regions extending from modern-day Spain to India, including paintings, ceramics, metalwork, glass, jade and architectural elements. The exhibition invites visitors to reconsider familiar ideas about artistic achievement, asking how certain objects come to be celebrated as masterpieces, who determines their significance and how their histories influence the ways in which they are understood today. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/9f/049f21fc-2d04-422c-9e33-73935ebdb811/content/images/2026/10/RC070153.orig.jpg) Cup, Ottoman dynasty, c. 1550–1600, Türkiye, probably Istanbul, nephrite jade, rubies and gold. © Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Raphaël Chipault Simon Rettig, associate curator for the arts of the Islamic world at the National Museum of Asian Art, co-curated the exhibition with Dr Souraya Noujaim, who previously directed the Department of Islamic Arts at the Musée du Louvre and was appointed director of Louvre Abu Dhabi in October 2026\. In this article, Rettig discusses the thinking behind the exhibition, the remarkable journeys of its objects and the importance of looking beyond the museum gallery to understand their histories. ## Rethinking the Idea of a Masterpiece For Rettig, the exhibition begins with a question that challenges conventional approaches to art history. In a world saturated with images, the concept of a masterpiece can appear self-evident, with familiar works such as Leonardo da Vinci's *Mona Lisa* immediately coming to mind. However, he argues that this understanding is strongly influenced by the Western art-historical canon, which has traditionally shaped public perceptions of artistic excellence. “When you think of a masterpiece, you immediately think of the *Mona Lisa*, or perhaps Donatello’s *David*,” Rettig explains. “You think of oil paintings on canvas and Renaissance sculpture. It is much harder for people to immediately think of Indian art, Egyptian art or even eighteenth-century German ceramics as masterpieces.” The exhibition seeks to broaden this understanding by examining the artistic achievements of the Islamic world through their cultural and historical contexts. As Rettig points out, the objects on display were not necessarily created with the intention of becoming masterpieces. Many served specific functions within royal courts, religious settings or domestic life, acquiring their present status over time as they passed between owners and entered museum collections. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/9f/049f21fc-2d04-422c-9e33-73935ebdb811/content/images/2026/10/Beaker-with-Polo-Players.JPG) Beaker with Polo Players, Syria, Ayyubid dynasty, c. 1250, gilded and enamelled glass. Acquired by the Louvre in 1908\. © Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hughes Dubois Rettig and Noujaim also considered the Arabic concept of *tuhfa*, which evokes exceptional craftsmanship, rarity, preciousness and the idea of a gift. This offered a way to examine the works through an Islamic cultural perspective while considering the histories that have shaped their significance. “We trace their journeys from their places of origin to the museum, including all the stages in between,” Rettig says. “Sometimes these journeys span centuries and thousands of miles, because one thing all these objects have in common is that they travelled.” His observation points to one of the exhibition's central ideas: an object's identity is not fixed at the moment of its creation. Its purpose, ownership and cultural associations can change considerably as it moves between societies, acquiring new meanings that may eventually obscure its original context. ## From Courtly Basin to Royal Baptisms One of the exhibition's most compelling examples is the *Baptistery of Saint Louis*, an intricately decorated basin made from a copper alloy and inlaid with gold and silver. Known by a name bestowed upon it in France, the object illustrates how a work of art can become embedded in a cultural narrative far removed from the circumstances of its creation. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/9f/049f21fc-2d04-422c-9e33-73935ebdb811/content/images/2026/10/HD090125.orig.jpg) Basin, Known as the Baptistery of Saint Louis, Mamluk dynasty, c. 1325–1340, Egypt or Syria, engraved and inlaid copper alloy, silver, gold and black compound. © Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hughes Dubois Rettig describes it as the “*Mona Lisa* of Islamic art”, reflecting its iconic status and extraordinary history. Despite its fame, important details about its origins remain uncertain. Its precise place of creation has not been established conclusively, although it is attributed to Syria or Egypt and dated to approximately 1330–1340. The basin features elaborate scenes of rulers, hunting, banquets, processions and courtly activities. These images offer clues about the world for which it was made, although they do not provide a complete account of its original context. Remarkably, the artist signed the object six times, an unusual feature for a medieval work of this kind. “It is extraordinary and, as far as we know, unprecedented for a medieval object of this kind,” Rettig says of the signatures. The basin's subsequent history is better documented. It appears to have left its place of origin relatively early and was in France by the end of the fifteenth century. In 1606, it was used to baptise the future King Louis XIII, marking the beginning of its association with French royal ceremonies. It subsequently served at the christenings of French kings and princes, with its last recorded use in a religious ceremony taking place in 1856, when the son of Emperor Napoleon III was baptised. “An object that was probably used for handwashing at a court in the Islamic world eventually became part of one of the most important religious ceremonies of the French royal household,” Rettig observes. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/9f/049f21fc-2d04-422c-9e33-73935ebdb811/content/images/2026/10/OA_7463_AB_FACE.jpg) Doors, Mamluk dynasty, c. 1300–1350 and c. 1850, Egypt, rosewood with jujube wood, ebony and camel bone inlay. © Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hervé Lewandowski Its transformation extended beyond its ceremonial function. As the French monarchy developed its national identity, the basin became associated with Saint Louis, or King Louis IX, who led the Seventh and Eighth Crusades. This association helped incorporate the object into a French historical narrative, leaving its Islamic origins largely overlooked for centuries. Museum professionals and researchers in the twentieth century helped recover its earlier identity. For Rettig, this process illustrates why an artwork's arrival in a museum does not mark the end of its story. New research can challenge established interpretations, bringing overlooked histories back into view. Rettig also points out that the basin entered the Louvre before the *Mona Lisa*, offering a striking reminder of how long these objects have formed part of the museum's history. Its presence in the collection has not brought its story to a close, as successive generations of researchers continue to reconsider its origins and changing significance. ## Mughal Craftsmanship and the Art of the Court India is represented through works associated with the Mughal period, including two intricately decorated ivory pen cases, dated to approximately 1575–1625 and believed to have been commissioned by the emperor Jahangir. Bearing the names of the Persian ruler Shah Abbas I and his grand vizier Mirza Muhammad Munshi, the pen cases are associated with diplomatic gift-giving between powerful courts. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/9f/049f21fc-2d04-422c-9e33-73935ebdb811/content/images/2026/10/RFML-AI-2018-36-1-et-2_TQD.jpg) Pencases with the Names of Shah Abbas I (r. 1587–1629) and Grand Vizier Mirza Muhammad Munshi, Mughal dynasty, c. 1575–1625, India, walrus ivory, turquoise, gold and black compound. © Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hervé Lewandowski Made from walrus ivory and embellished with turquoise, gold and a dark compound, they demonstrate the refinement of Mughal craftsmanship and the political significance of luxury objects. Their later history introduces another dimension: acquired by the French jeweller Louis Cartier in 1912, they inspired some of his jewellery designs, connecting Islamic decorative arts with European design. Another highlight is a dagger with a jade hilt carved in the shape of a horse's head, an object Rettig singles out for its extraordinary workmanship. The carving is so precise that the horse's teeth, tongue and mane are visible in remarkable detail. “If you look closely at the horse's head, you can see its teeth, tongue and mane,” he explains. “The carving is so delicate that the mane almost appears to be moving in the wind.” Rettig describes the object as a three-dimensional portrait of a horse, drawing a connection with Mughal paintings in which emperors and their horses were depicted with exceptional attention to individual characteristics. Mughal rulers, including Jahangir, were known to give their horses names and commission paintings of them. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/9f/049f21fc-2d04-422c-9e33-73935ebdb811/content/images/2026/10/HD100065.orig.jpg) Dagger with Horse Head, Mughal dynasty, 1600–1700, India, jade, rubies, emeralds, gold and Damascus steel. © Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hughes Dubois Rettig speculates that the dagger may depict a particular horse, possibly one belonging to a Mughal emperor. It may have been made for an emperor or presented as a gift to one of his sons or another senior courtier, but this remains a hypothesis given the uncertainty surrounding its early history. The dagger is documented in the Rothschild family collection in Paris during the second half of the nineteenth century. A photograph showing it in the family's residence provides a further glimpse into its later history, although its earlier provenance remains uncertain. For Rettig, the object demonstrates the importance of combining close attention to craftsmanship with an acknowledgement of historical uncertainty. The dagger can be appreciated for its artistic sophistication while remaining the subject of further research. Its presence in the exhibition also draws attention to the circulation of Indian art during the period of British rule, when many objects left the subcontinent and entered European collections. ## A Geographical Span of More Than a Thousand Years The exhibition covers a vast geographical area, extending from Spain to India, and more than a millennium of artistic production. Rettig is careful to explain that the selection is not intended to represent every region or tradition associated with Islamic art. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/9f/049f21fc-2d04-422c-9e33-73935ebdb811/content/images/2026/10/HD090088.orig1.jpg) Large Bowl in Blue and White, Ottoman dynasty, c. 1480, Iznik, Türkiye, stone-paste body painted under glaze. © Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hughes Dubois “The exhibition is not intended to be all-encompassing,” he says, emphasising that the term *Islamic art* encompasses the cultures that flourished under the umbrella of Islam. The objects need not be religious in subject or function to belong to this broader artistic history. The selection was shaped partly by the collections available at the Louvre and the practical considerations involved in borrowing particularly significant works. Some objects could not travel because of their fragility or conservation requirements. Textiles, for example, can be especially difficult to display because of their sensitivity to light. These constraints influenced the exhibition's final composition, but the central question remained how individual works could illuminate the concept of a masterpiece. The resulting selection brings together objects that tell distinct stories about particular places, periods and cultural encounters. Among them is an eighteenth-century oil painting of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar, ruler of Persia from 1787 to 1834, which was presented to the French emperor Napoleon as a diplomatic gift. The painting highlights the role of royal portraiture in communicating authority and strengthening political relationships. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/9f/049f21fc-2d04-422c-9e33-73935ebdb811/content/images/2026/10/Portrait-of-Fath-Ali-Shah-Qajar.JPG) Portrait of Fath Ali Shah Qajar, attributed to Mihr Ali, Iran, probably Tehran, Qajar dynasty, 1800–1806, oil on canvas. © Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hervé Lewandowski The *Lion of Monzón*, a bronze sculpture created in Islamic Spain during the tenth or eleventh century, offers another perspective on the movement of artistic ideas. Probably made as a fountain spout, the sculpture features decorative elements associated with blessings and good fortune. Its subsequent reception by European artists and critics demonstrates how objects could influence artistic interests far beyond their places of origin. Together, these works reveal the diversity of artistic traditions within the Islamic world and the different circumstances through which objects acquired their present significance. The exhibition does not attempt to provide a comprehensive history of Islamic art; instead, it uses individual works to explore the complex relationships between artistic creation, cultural exchange, ownership and historical interpretation. ## A History of Exchange The collaboration also reflects a relationship between the Louvre and the National Museum of Asian Art that extends back more than a century. An important figure in this history is Charles Lang Freer, the American collector whose collection established the foundation of the Smithsonian museum. In 1903, Freer visited Paris and saw an exhibition of Islamic art at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, organised by Gaston Migeon, a curator at the Louvre. The exhibition deepened Freer's interest in Islamic art and influenced his subsequent collecting. Freer and Migeon subsequently developed a relationship through correspondence, travel and the exchange of ideas. Their connections also introduced Freer to a wider network of artists, art historians, curators and dealers, contributing to the development of his collection. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/9f/049f21fc-2d04-422c-9e33-73935ebdb811/content/images/2026/10/Plate-With-Peacock.JPG) Plate with Peacock, Türkiye, Iznik, Ottoman dynasty, c. 1540–1555, stone-paste body painted under transparent glaze. Former collection of Raymond Koechlin; acquired by the Louvre in 1932\. Musée du Louvre, Department of Islamic Art. © Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Hughes Dubois The exhibition includes a sixteenth-century Ottoman plate decorated with a peacock, formerly owned by the French collector and art historian Raymond Koechlin. Now held by the Louvre, the plate provides a tangible link between the collecting histories of the two institutions. For Rettig, the present exhibition continues this history of intellectual and cultural exchange. It also represents a special gesture by the Louvre in the context of the 250th anniversary of the United States, bringing works rarely lent in such numbers to an American audience. The decision to display the Louvre's objects independently was also deliberate. Rettig initially considered placing them alongside works from the Smithsonian's own collection to create a direct dialogue between the two institutions. He ultimately decided that the visiting works deserved to be presented together, allowing their individual histories to emerge clearly before visitors explored the museum's other galleries. ## Looking Beyond the Museum Gallery A central message of *From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art* is that the recognition of a masterpiece remains an evolving process. The objects may be celebrated for their craftsmanship, rarity and historical importance, but their stories continue to develop as scholars investigate their origins and reconsider their subsequent journeys. Rettig encourages visitors to look beyond the authority of the museum label and form their own interpretations of what makes an object a masterpiece. As he explains: > “We often assume that once an object enters a museum, its journey is over. It acquires the prestigious status of a museum masterpiece, and that is that. But its life continues.”