France’s national library, the Biblio-theque Nationale de France (BNF), pays tribute to Arab culture this autumn and winter in three major art exhibits and related activities.

Despite the strikingly modern appearance of its newest buildings along the banks of the Seine, the BNF is heir to a six-century-old tradition of learning. In 1368, long before the advent of printed books, King Charles V inaugurated France’s “Royal Library” by moving 973 manuscripts into one of the turrets of the old Louvre. During the Renaissance, a royal edict established the legal requirement that copies of every work printed in France be placed in the library. In 1692, the Royal Library was opened to the public. By the 19th century, the renamed and greatly enlarged “Library of the Nation” had moved to handsome quarters on the Rue de Richelieu. The past five years have seen the opening of the BNF’s newest site, named after the late President Francois Mitterrand. The huge complex includes a reference library for the general reader, a research level for scholars, and expanded facilities for art exhibits and lectures.

“Voyage to the East”, one of the BNF’s three exhibits devoted to the Middle East this fall, is featured at the Mitterrand site. The works of early photographers from 1840 to 1880 reflect the fascination Europeans felt for the ancient and exotic sights of Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, and Syria. Using pioneering techniques such as daguerrotypes and calotypes, the artists created many of the first photographic images of Middle Eastern monuments, landscapes and street scenes. Some pictures were used as postcards; others were published in albums or used to illustrate literary or historical texts. Many have a haunting and poetic beauty.

Also at the BNF is “Al-Idrisi, a Vision of the Mediterranean World in the 12th Century.” Al-Idrisi was a distinguished Arab scholar in Palermo, Sicily, where he worked at the court of King Roger II from 1139 to 1164. Seeking to unite the geographical knowledge of East and West, King Roger II commissioned Al-Idrisi to compile an authoritative text on the lands and cultures of the known world. The Arab scholar’s research included the works of previous geographers such as Ptolemy and Ibn Hawqal, and the writings of learned historians, but did not end there. In a method very original for his time, Al-Idrisi interviewed merchants and travelers passing through Palermo and recorded their observations on foreign lands and customs. He even sent correspondents to certain places to report to him. The result, an Arabic text known as “The Geography of Al-Idrisi,” featured detailed maps of the medieval world divided into 70 sections, accompanied by a commentary on social practices, commercial activities, and architectural monuments. Al-Idrisi’s “Geography” remained a standard reference throughout the Mediterranean for centuries and was translated into many languages. A French edition appeared as recently as 1840.

The BNF’s Richelieu site, which now houses special collections such as maps, coins, and manuscripts, hosts the third of this season’s Middle Eastern exhibits, “The Art of the Arab Book.” Drawn from the library’s rich collection of manuscripts, maps, and texts, and including loans from other prestigious institutions, the exhibit features many priceless works. The visitor journeys from the earliest days of written Arabic, and some of the first Qur’ans, to 18th-century printed texts and the books of contemporary Arab authors and calligraphic artists. The selection includes works from throughout the Muslim world, from Andalusian Spain, Morocco, and Mauritania, to Iran and India. Both religious and secular writings are present, including Arabic translations of the Greek philosophers. The variety of texts emphasizes the respect for learning and the written word in Arab culture.

Examples of writings on papyrus, parchment, and paper are presented. The exhibit illustrates the development of different Arabic scripts and their uses in a variety of displays and presents the tools of the calligrapher whose work is shown in a short film. Sections are devoted to the rich tradition of illustration and ornament, and the symbolism of geometrical designs, as well as to the beauty and variety of leather bindings in different cultures and eras.

“The Art of the Arab Book” is complemented by a series of lectures at the Mitterrand site by a specialist in Arab manuscripts. All three exhibits continue through mid-January 2002. For more information, or a virtual visit, please consult the BNF’s website at www.bnf.fr.