QM, HKPM to present Wonders of Imperial Carpets expo in Hong Kong in June
Doha
Qatar Museums (QM) has announced an upcoming exhibition 'Wonders of Imperial Carpets: Masterpieces from the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, opening at the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) from June 18 to October 6, 2025.
Co-organised by the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) and the HKPM, this landmark exhibition will be the first in Hong Kong to explore the rich artistic and cultural exchanges between Islamic and Chinese civilisations.
Presenting approximately 100 extraordinary objects, including imperial carpets, ceramics, manuscripts, metalwork, and jades, Wonders of Imperial Carpets draws primarily from the renowned collections of MIA, complemented by objects from the Palace Museum in Beijing and the HKPM.
The exhibition traces artistic exchanges between the Safavid dynasty (1501–1736), Mughal dynasty (1526–1857), and Ottoman dynasty (1299–1923), and the dynamic cross-cultural connections shaped through diplomacy, migration, and trade over centuries.
The exhibition is a legacy project of the Years of Culture initiative, a year-long programme of collaborations between Qatar and partner countries that seeks to nurture mutual respect and understanding by building long-term cultural, social, and economic ties.
Shaika Nasser Al Nassr, director, Museum of Islamic Art, said: 'The Museum of Islamic Art is honoured to collaborate with the Hong Kong Palace Museum to bring these remarkable artefacts from our collections to new audiences.
Dr Louis Ng, museum director of the HKPM, said: 'Wonders of Imperial Carpets marks the first time similar exhibitions is being staged outside of Qatar, incorporating a new curatorial concept and is enriched by the unique storyline of cultural exchange between China and the Islamic world. This approach demonstrates the HKPM's commitment to advancing dialogue among civilisations.
'The Islamic world, at different points in history, stretches from the Mediterranean in the West to Southeast Asia and further East — its art and culture continue to inspire societies and cultures across the world today. It is an immense privilege for us to present this special exhibition and share the captivating stories of the arts of the Islamic world with our visitors.'
Wonders of Imperial Carpets features some of the finest carpets in the world, produced in Safavid Iran, Mughal India, Ottoman Türkiye, and China between the 16th and 18th centuries:
Shah Sulayman 'hunting' carpet was a diplomatic gift from the Safavids to Francesco Morosini (1619–1694), one of the greatest sea captains of his time and leader of the Republic of Venice in the late 17th century. This magnificent 450-year-old medallion carpet is adorned with cloud-bands motifs and mythical creatures inspired by Chinese art.
Kevorkian Hyderabad carpet is one of the longest Islamic carpets in a museum collection, measuring at almost 16 metres. Grand durbar (audience chamber) carpets were used at the Mughal court for ceremonial events. At the HKPM, this carpet will be shown in full, offering visitors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience its imperial grandeur.
Çintamani prayer rug is decorated with an auspicious motif of three circles, known as çintamani ('wish-fulfilling jewel') in Sanskrit. Associated with good luck and power, the motif was very popular at the Ottoman court. Depicted at the centre of the rug is a prayer niche; at the bottom is an abstract representation of the Prophet's sandals.
Carpet with flowers is a carpet made in Xinjiang region during the Qianlong period (1736–1795). Carpets with this type of floral patterns were used in the imperial palace. In the exhibition, displayed next to this imperial carpet from the Palace Museum will be a exquisite piece of Safavid silk fabric with golden brocade which features a similar design.
Organised in four sections, Wonders of Imperial Carpets not only explores imperial carpet production across Safavid Iran, Mughal India, Ottoman Türkiye, and China between the 16th and 18th centuries, but also highlights the profound interconnections between different forms of Islamic art, from ceramics and metalwork to miniature painting and bookbinding.
Visit https://www.hkpm.org.hk/en/visit/ticket to book tickets and know more about the exhibition.
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