The Louvre Museum’s recent major exhibition on the Mamluk Sultanate explores the dynasty’s rich legacy in terms of the art and architecture of Egypt and Syria. The exhibition—a first for Europe—comes more than forty years after a touring exhibition in the United States curated by Dr Esin Atil. “Mamluks (1250-1517)” brings together 260 works from the Louvre’s own collections, alongside national and international loans.
The Mamluks were a military caste that rose to power in Egypt and the Levant from the mid-13th to early 16th centuries. Originating as slave-soldiers (the term “Mamluk” itself means “owned” or “slave” in Arabic), they seized power in Egypt from the Ayyubid dynasty in 1250 and formed a powerful dynasty that ruled for over 250 years. After their defeat by the Ottomans in 1517, they stayed on in high political positions until the 19th century.
Though mostly known for their prowess in battle and their crushing victories against the Crusaders and the Mongols, the Mamluks also cultivated a flourishing culture due to their competitive and generous patronage of the arts.
The exhibition opens with “The Battle of the Pyramids”, an 1820 painting by artist François-André Vincent, which captures the drama of the epic battle between French soldiers and the latter-day Mamluk cavalry, whilst conveying a mythic image of a lone Mamluk warrior charging into battle on horseback. Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt was momentous—not only did the invasion finally dispense with the Mamluks, but he also took some Mamluks back to France with him to serve in the imperial army; some even became his personal bodyguards. Following Napoleon’s victory, the 160 scholars and scientists that accompanied him on the expedition, began the study of Ancient Egypt, ie Egyptology. Later, Frenchman Jean-François Champollion managed to decipher the Rosetta stone, unlocking the mysteries of Ancient Egypt.
The five sections of the exhibition include: the Mamluk identity, based on the great figures of sultans and emirs; the plural and cosmopolitan society, where men and women, ulemas and Sufis, people of the pen, merchants and artisans, Christian and Jewish minorities coexist; the richness of its intertwined military, religious, literary and popular, scientific and technical cultures; connections with the surrounding world, which made the Mamluk Sultanate another “Middle Kingdom”; and the essence of Mamluk art and its major achievements, bringing together exceptional works of calligraphy, design, textiles, ceramics, enamelled glass, inlaid metal and woodwork.
The golden age of Mamluk art occurred during the reign of Sultan Nasir al-Din Muhammed (1293-1341 with interruptions). He established peace with the Mongol-Persian Ilkhanids in 1323, which seem to have led to a flowering of Yüan dynasty design elements appearing within the Mamluk design repertoire. Yüan silks and ceramics may have been the mode of transmission of Chinese-style lotuses and peonies.
Mamluk art exhibits certain design elements that render them instantly recognizable. Perhaps the most distinctive is the masterful interplay of geometric patterns that reached its apogee in the hands of Mamluk artisans. Monumental Qur’ans were created for placement near the tombs of the Sultan. Delicate glass lamps bearing (Surat an-nur) the Light Verse of the Holy Qur’an were elegantly crafted to illuminate the darkness of prayer halls and tomb chambers. Exquisitely crafted inlaid metal ewers, candlesticks, lamps, boxes, basins were created to lavish Mamluk residences or serve as prestigious gifts.
Carpets comprise one of the most fascinating elements of Mamluk art. Mamluk carpets make up a distinctive group of earthy, jewel-toned medallion-patterned textiles. Under Sultan Qaitbay (reigned 1468 -1496) and continuing into the 16th century, Mamluk carpets were exported to Italy and appear in some Renaissance paintings as items of luxury.
The collective wealth of the Mamluk empire and the luxury of the Sultan’s court cultivated artists to achieve the highest aesthetic and technical perfection during the first half of the fourteenth century. The demanding patronage of the court enabled artists to excel in the creation of magnificent manuscripts, metalwork, glass, ceramics, textiles and all forms of architectural decoration.
The highlight of the exhibition is the famous Saint Louis basin, signed Mohammad ibn al-Zayn, made of copper alloy, inlaid with silver and gold. It was used for the baptisms of, among others, the future Louis XIII, Henri d’Artois, Prince Napoléon-Eugène. This magnificent basin, exquisitely crafted, illustrates the close ties between the Mamluk sultanate and French history.
The Mamluks oversaw a fairly pluralistic society in which women enjoyed more of a public position than in Europe, and where Muslim, Jews, and Christians were all free to play their part in society. The exhibition brings this extraordinary world to life, revealing a rich and complex society.
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