The Benaki Museum of Islamic Arts was inaugurated on July 27, 2004 in Athens. Encompassing 1000 square meters of remodeled space it showcases ceramics, pottery, metalwork, gold, woodcarvings, glasswork and textiles, bone carvings, inscribed funerary steles, arms and armor in an exquisite demonstration of the creative genius and sophistication of Islamic Art.
Initially assembled by Antonis Benakis in Egypt during the first decades of the 20th century, the Islamic art collections were enriched and augmented until his death in 1954 guaranteeing the museum’s financial security.
Today, the extensive Benaki Collection of Islamic Art is permanently housed in a neo-Classical building near the ancient cemetery of Kerameikos in the historic center of Athens, allowing greater access to the public at large.
Antonis Benakis, scion of one of the leading families of the Greek diaspora, was born in Alexandria in 1870. He began his career as a collector in Alexandria, gradually reaching the decision to donate his collections to the Greek state; an idea which became a reality after he settled permanently in Athens in 1926.
Born into a family which nourished such ideals, his father Emmanuel Benakis placed his fortune at the disposal of numerous charitable foundations and contributed to the settlement of refugees in the aftermath of the catastrophe of Asia Minor. His sister Penelope Delta’s (1874-1941) contribution to literature decisively influenced the evolution of children’s books in a period when it was otherwise neglected. Inspired principally by Greek historical events, her books were read by generations of children. “Crazy Antonis” is one such story that she wrote about her brother.
The Islamic Art collection of the Benaki Museum ranks among the most important of its kind worldwide and includes masterpieces from India, Persia, Mesopotamia, the Middle East, Arabia, Egypt, North Africa, Sicily, Spain and Asia Minor. It spans over a period between the 7th and 19 centuries. Particularly important is the rich collection of Ottoman art at its peak from the 16th century.
Among the exceptional objects owned by the museum are two carved wooden memorial doors from 8th century Mesopotamia, a reed mat from 10th century Tiberias, a small brass box bearing the signature of Ismail ibn Al-Ward Al-Mausili dated 1200, a bronze astrolabe of Ahmed ibn Al-Sarraj dated 1328/29, and the famous 16th century velvet saddle from Bursa.
The evolution of the Islamic civilization from the appearance of Islam until the Ottoman period, is illustrated through more than 8,000 priceless masterpieces. In the first room, objects dating from the early Islamic period, ranging between the 7th to the 12th century are displayed. The second gallery is dedicated to the so-called classical period of Islamic Art, between the 12th and the 16th centuries, while the third room boasts a magnificent 17th century marble floor retrieved from a reception room from a mansion in Cairo, together with its fountain and treasures from Turkey and Iran. The last room is adorned with artifacts dating up to the 19th century, samples of collections of arms, and a suite of precious jewelry from Iran’s Qajar period.
In an attempt to have certain gaps in the collection filled, objects have been secured from other international museums on permanent loan such as 17th century Persian ceramics from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and 16th century Ottoman tiles from the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon. A number of objects were also purchased to support this endeavour including an early Qur’anic manuscript. It goes without saying that the Benaki Museum of Islamic art will not only reinforce Greece’s cultural position and bring about a new understanding of Islamic art, but it will also become a milestone in the country’s foreign policy.
