The Mysteries of Cairo's Magnificent Mamluk Carpets
11/21/2019 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Event Description
During the 1480s, carpets more magnificent than any seen before suddenly appeared in three of the most elite spaces in the multicultural Mediterranean: the Alhambra in Andalusia, the Vatican Palace, and the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem. The origin of these carpets has long remained mysterious. Evidence now indicates that the Mamluk sultan Qaitbay established a new industry in Cairo which was deliberately planned to be the world leader. This lecture will show how well the plan succeeded.
Rosamond Mack was completing a Ph.D. in Italian Renaissance painting at Harvard University when she married FSO David Mack. Their 15 years in the Arab world did not advance a career in the Renaissance. After his retirement, her lucky decision to combine these life experiences led to a groundbreaking book, Bazaar to Piazza: Islamic Trade and Italian Art 1300-1600 (Berkeley and Los Angeles, 2002), which has been translated into Turkish (Istanbul, 2005). She continues to research, write, and lecture internationally, and for the National Gallery of Art in Washington.
