CAIRO - In the historical palace of Al-Amir Taz in the Khalifa district of Islamic Cairo, splendour is added to magic, creating a serene and enchanting ambience that emphasises the unity of different eras in Egypt.
When you visit the palace, you can enjoy the amazing Islamic architecture and also get to grips with Coptic history in Egypt by means of the 'Coptic Art Revealed' exhibition, which runs theretill the end of January.
"This exhibition is the first to shed light on the magnificent Coptic art in Egypt," says Elham Salah, one of thesupervisors of the exhibition.
"It reveals a lot about this very distinctive era of Egypt's history, offering an excellent insight into this quite forgotten period," he told The Egyptian Gazette.
The exhibition, being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), includes 205 works of art,ranging from pictures and images to ancient writings, books and sculptures.
These artifacts from the Coptic era have been specially selected to celebrate the centennial of the Coptic Art Museum, founded in 1910 by an influential Copt, Marcos Pasha Simaika, next to the famous Hanging Church in Old Cairo.
The Coptic Art Museum was renovated by the SCA and reopened in 2006. "A positive thing about this exhibition is that it sheds light on a different face of Egypt's history and attractions," Elham continues.
"Pharaonic attractions have for so long dominated the scene, so this exhibition shows that Egypt has far more to offer than that.
" The exhibition takes guests on a journey back to early Christianity, when the Holy Family fled to Egypt.
It also shows how this new religion survived among other old religions, illustrating the overlap of Pharaonic, Graeco-Roman and early Christian motifs.
One of the most remarkable features of Coptic art is the multicultural influences it contains, combining the impact of the Mediterranean region while maintaining local artistic traditions.
The early years of Christianity, dating back to the Roman Empire and its persecution of Egyptian Christians, are a major part of the exhibition.
As such, the creation of monasticism and the establishment of monasteries in Egypt are also highlighted. Sacred places and biblical stories that play a crucial role in the life of the faithful are presented, as are the Coptic Divine Liturgy, which is the oldest celebrated religious service in the world.
"It's amazing what these artistic treasures tell us about Egypt now and in the past," Ahmed Fadel, a 36-year old photographer, who was very impressed by exhibition told The Gazette.
"The Coptic era has a very special place in Egypt's history, in the middle between Egypt's Pharaonic and Islamic eras." This could be why the art of this era isn’t as well known as that of the Pharaonic or Islamic eras in Egypt. Egyptian Culture Minister Farouq Hosni said at the inauguration of the exhibition earlier this month that “Coptic
Art Revealed” was the first locally curated exhibition of Coptic art.
"This exhibition shows Egypt’s cultural diversity as well the nation’s unity, as it is a Coptic exhibition in an Islamic monument," Hosni told reporters, adding that the exhibition celebrates Coptic art as a part of Egypt’s long and proud tradition that has left an indelible mark on the pages of world history. According to Hosni, the exhibition also brings to life the timeless personality of the people of the Nile.
The exhibition includes several painted icons by renowned artists, as well as beautiful textiles, illuminated manuscripts, an excerpt from the famous Nagaa Hammadi scrolls; stone and wooden friezes with intricate Copticdesigns, and splendid objects for daily use.
Nadja Tomoum, the exhibition's creator and director, says that the objects on display have been carefully selected from several museum collections in Egypt.
They include treasures from the Coptic Museum's storage department and significant artworks from its permanent display, as well as pieces from the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation in Fustat and the Museum of Islamic Art in Bab el-Khalq.
Items from the National Museum, the Graeco-Roman Museum and the Museum of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria are also selected, as well as others from the Beni Sueif and el-Arish museums.
The “Coptic Art Revealed” exhibition runs in Al-Amir Taz Palace until January 31, when it will travel to Austria and Germany.
