From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art

From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art brings 26 exceptional works from the Musée du Louvre’s Islamic art collection to Washington for the first time. The exhibition spans the seventh through nineteenth centuries and presents art made across a vast region extending from Spain to India, including a Syrian-Egyptian basin inlaid with silver figures, an Andalusian bronze lion, and a monumental jewel-covered portrait of a Persian ruler.

The exhibition also traces the changing histories of these objects. Once held by sultans, princes, and nobles, many were exchanged to forge alliances before later entering the collections of artists, archaeologists, and collectors. Their journeys transformed their meanings and eventually brought them into public museums as works of universal significance. The exhibition is organized jointly by the Musée du Louvre and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art.

When: September 26, 2026–January 18, 2027

Location: East Building, Galleries 23 and 24

Collection Area: Arts of the Islamic World

Featured Works: Highlights include the basin known as the “Baptistery of Saint Louis,” made in Syria or Egypt during the Mamluk period around 1330–1340; the Lion of Monzón, a cast-bronze work from Spain dating to approximately 975–1100; and a monumental portrait of a Persian king decorated with jewels.

Geographic Scope: The objects come from a broad area stretching from Spain across the Islamic world to India.

Historical Range: The works were created between the seventh and nineteenth centuries.

Curators: Dr. Souraya Noujaim, director of the Islamic Art Department at the Musée du Louvre, and Dr. Simon Rettig, associate curator for the Arts of the Islamic World at the National Museum of Asian Art.

Accessibility: Exhibition wall and case text is available online in a format that can be resized or accessed with a screen reader. Descriptive transcripts are also provided for videos connected with the exhibition.

Tickets: Price not available

Support: The exhibition is supported by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, Mary and Farhad Ebrahimi, Ronald M. Costell, M.D. and the Estate of Marsha E. Swiss, with additional support from the Ebrahimi Family Endowment for Persian, Arab, and Turkish Art.