In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin
Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the
UAE Armed Forces, His Holiness Pope Francis and Dr. Ahmad Al Tayeb, Grand Imam
of the Al Azhar Al Sharif unveiled two new artworks belonging to Louvre Abu
Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum.
HE Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the
Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, confirmed that the new artworks
reaffirmation of the open dialogue promoted by the State and he commented, “It
has been a great honour for Abu Dhabi to host the Human Fraternity Conference
in the presence of two of the world's greatest spiritual leaders, His Holiness
Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb. The unveiling
of these two rare artworks, each representing a different faith, only served to
enhance the theme of the conference - that openness and cultural dialogue are
essential tools for building positive intercultural and interfaith relations.”
The two rare works are unique additions to the
collections of the two international museums. Louvre Abu Dhabi has attracted
more than one million visitors in its first year to view a collection narrating
the universality of humanity, while the Zayed National Museum continues to
strengthen its collection of world-class artworks that reflect the rich
heritage of the UAE and wider Arab and Islamic worlds.
The first artwork, entitled “Christ shows his wounds”,
is a quality addition to the permanent collection of Louvre Abu Dhabi. The
16th-century wooden sculpture, hailing from Germany or Austria, is a life-size
statue of Christ, depicted carrying a crown of thorns and displaying his open
wounds. Carved in the late Gothic period, the work is a late artistic
expression of the Christian faith.
The second artefact,
four pages from the famous Blue Quran manuscript dating from 800 to 1000 AD,
will be exhibited at Louvre Abu Dhabi as a private loan from the Zayed National
Museum collection. The Blue Quran is characterised by its gilded letters,
written in Kufic script on rare blue-dyed parchment. The valuable materials
used indicate that it would have been commissioned by a wealthy patron.
About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu
Dhabi
The Department of
Culture and Tourism conserves and promotes the heritage and culture of Abu
Dhabi emirate and leverages them in the development of a world-class,
sustainable destination of distinction, which enriches the lives of visitors
and residents alike. The organization manages the emirate's tourism sector and
markets the destination internationally through a wide range of activities
aimed at attracting visitors and investment. Its policies, plans and programs
relate to the preservation of heritage and culture, including protecting archaeological
and historical sites and to developing museums, including Zayed National
Museum, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi. DCT - Abu Dhabi
supports intellectual and artistic activities and cultural events to nurture a
rich cultural environment and honor the emirate's heritage. A key role is to
create synergy in the destination's development through close co-ordination
with its wide-ranging stakeholder base.
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