CHILDREN’S TRAIL

ARTGALLERY

NSW

THE ARTS OFISLAMTREASURE HUNT

HAVE FUN EXPLORING THE ARTS OF ISLAM: TREASURES FROM

THE NASSER D KHALILI COLLECTIONAND MAKE SOME ART OF YOUR OWN

above: Jonah and the whale from Jami al-Tawarikh by Rashid al-Din, Iran, Tabiz, dated 714 AH (1314–15 AD), ink, translucent and opaque watercolour, gold and silver on papercover: Mother-of-pearl-inlaid casket India, Gujarat, 16th century AD, teak, mother-of-pearl, black lacquer, gilt metal, 20 x 33.4 x 19.7 cm

Look, draw and have fun!

THE ARTS OF ISLAMTREASURES FROM THENASSER D KHALILI COLLECTIONDiscover the exquisite beauty and intricate detail of Islamic art on your own treasure hunt.

Go on a journeythrough theexhibition

Discoverthe Islamictreasures

Collecta pencil

They are over 1000 years old and would have been used forspecial occasions.

What animals can you spot?Are they repeated exactly around the dish?

Look closely at the decorationson these and other examples of pottery.

Design your own special bowlusing a repeat pattern of yourfavourite animal.

Locate these bowls and dishes.

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At home look at examples of pottery your family owns. Are any ofthem similar to the ones in the exhibition? Draw your favourite one.

They are very old and rare.

Observe how thin gold wire hasbeen twisted to make patternsand shapes. Do you think theywould be heavy or light to wear?Why?

Imagine who might have wornthese earrings and where theywore them. Draw a picture ofthem here.

Here are some elaborate earrings made of gold wire.

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At home twist together some pipe cleaners or thin wire to createyour own delicate pattern to make a piece of jewellery.

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the water into this jug?

Search the exhibition forother examples of vases,jugs and vessels in the shape of animals and birds.Which one is your favourite?

Invent your own animal-shaped jug below.

At home sketch your own pet or animals and birds from yourimagination. Simplify into shapes and design a vase based on your sketches.

Look at this water jug in the shape of a goose.

At home find out what Islamic palaces look like. Make your own palace out of cardboard and decorate its walls with Islamic-style patterns.

Find this crowned head.

This head was once part of a carved stone frieze thatdecorated a palace wall.

Imagine what the body of this figure may have looked like.

Look closely at the shapes andpatterns on this crown and otherstone carvings in the exhibition.

Design a new crown for this figure using some of the patterns you found.

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Jonah was a teacher of God’s(Allah’s) will and was sent to warnthe people of Nineveh to changetheir bad ways. In the story,sailors believe Jonah is the reasonfor a big storm so he is thrownoverboard and is swallowed by a large fish or whale.

Observe how the water in thispainting swirls and curls to showthe storm. Describe how youthink Jonah might feel at thisterrible moment.

Find other paintings near this one with boats in them. Use them to inspire you to draw Jonah in his boat justbefore he is thrown into thestormy sea.

Here is Jonah being swallowed by a whale.

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At home find out more about Jonah’s amazing story and draw your favourite scenes.

Rustam is a character in afamous Islamic storybook calledThe Book of Kings.

Rustam and Rakhsh have to goon a long journey and face manychallenges along the way such as slaying a dragon.

Find these things and tick themas you find them:

BirdsA leopard-shaped helmetA featherRed flowersA hollow treeCalligraphy

At home find other stories that have dragons in them. Read someof them and discover what dragons look like. Are they always thesame? Draw your favourite dragon or invent your own.

Meet the mythical hero Rustam and his horse Rakhsh.

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THE ARTS OF ISLAM: TREASURES FROM THE NASSER D KHALILI COLLECTIONART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES 22 JUNE - 23 SEPTEMBER 2007

Principal sponsors: Westfield, NABSupported by: VisAsia Council, President’s Council, Qantas, Delta Electricity

Written by Victoria Collings, designed by Karen Hancock©Public Programs Department Art Gallery of New South Wales 2007

At home practice writing your name in different decorative styles of lettering.

Encounter this amazing lion.

His body is made of specialletters called calligraphy.

If you were an animal, whichone would you like to be?

Write your name in theshape and outline of theanimal you have chosen.

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Caskets such as this one would have been treasuredbecause their decorations were so complicated andprecious. What do you think was placed inside them?

Locate other decorative boxesand chests in the exhibition andcompare their designs.

Decorate this chest below with patterns from plants, flowers and shapes.

Examine this intricate casket.

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At home make your own treasure chest out of a small box.Decorate it with sequins and jewels and use it to keep something special in.

Tiles such as this one decorated royal palaces, fountains andcourtyard gardens.

Visualise what a whole wall of these tiles would have looked like.

Extend the pattern of this tile across the rest of these blank tilesand invent a border to go along the top of them.

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Here is a colourful ceramic tile.

At home invent your own design for a tiled courtyard garden,complete with a fountain and paint your idea.

It was probably made for a king as it is so elaborate.

Can you spot the prowling lionshidden within the flowers?

Use the template below to createa carpet fit for a king or queen.

Imagine this carpet is a magic flyingcarpet. Where could it take you?Tell a tale about your adventures.

Look closely at this beautiful carpet.

At home find stories from The Arabian Nights and discover magicalstories about adventures and flying carpets.

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