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Princes, potters and pioneers: the art and material culture of the Fatimid period
Abstract by Dr. Fahmida Suleman On Session 015  (Fatimid Studies)

On Thursday, December 1 at 5:00 pm

2011 Annual Meeting

Abstract
In the year 1998 we witnessed a renaissance in the study of Fatimid art and architecture as a result of the Paris conference, “L’Egypte fatimide: son art et son histoire”, the accompanying exhibitions on Fatimid art in Paris and Vienna and the publication of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection of Fatimid art. But what has happened since? How has the field moved forward and are younger scholars interested in the subject? Will Jonathan Bloom’s recent publication, "Arts of the City Victorious: Islamic Art and Architecture in Fatimid North Africa and Egypt" (2007), reinvigorate the topic or has he had the final word on the subject? What new sources have come to light in the last decade to assist in the re-interpretation of older theories or to establish new ones? Has Fatimid art finally been accepted as a mainstream topic in the study of the arts and material culture of Egyptian, Mediterranean or Muslim civilizations? This paper addresses these questions and will highlight different approaches and fresh perspectives to the study of Fatimid material culture.
Discipline
Art/Art History
Geographic Area
Egypt
Sub Area
7th-13th Centuries