LCC Research Guides: Middle East and North Africa: Art & Culture

Web Resources

Freer Sackler Gallery Smithsonian One of the finest collections of Islamic art in the US, from the earliest century of Islam to present.

Metropolitan Museum of Art - The Nature of Islamic Art series of essays from the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History featuring artists and works in the Met collections, essays, and historical context.

Modern Art Iraq Archive (MAIA) This project documents and preserves modern art from the Iraqi Museum of Modern Art in Baghdad, much of which was lost or damaged in the aftermath of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.

Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture The most comprehensive reference work on Islamic art and architecture all over the world.

Townhouse Gallery Cairo Art gallery in Cairo with excellent coverage of contemporary regional artists.

Agial Gallery Art gallery in Beirut with extensive roster of contemporary artists from all over the Middle East.

Arab Culture Fund Organization promotes projects in cinema, performing arts, literature, music and visual arts, while facilitating cultural exchange and cooperation across the Arab world.

Artis Dynamic organization that supports and promotes contemporary artists from Israel internationally.

Library catalog searches for topics in art

Here are some important subject headings to use in the Library catalog:

Art -- Arab countries

Art -- (any country)

(Name of architecture site)

Islamic Art and Architecture

Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art & Architecture
Ranges from the Middle East to Central and South Asia, Africa, and Europe and spans over a thousand years of history. Includes in-depth information about dynasties, art forms, artists, architecture, rulers, monuments, archaeological sites and stylistic developments. In addition, over 500 illustrations of sculpture, mosaic, painting, ceramics, architecture, metalwork and calligraphy illuminate the rich artistic tradition of the Islamic world.