Cosmology in focus at Louvre Abu Dhabi’s new exhibition
170 ITEMS DEPICTING REPRESENTATION OF WORLD, UNIVERSE ON SHOW
The study of the universe and its cosmology has always held a special significance in the Arab and Islamic world, and it is this interest that is being explored at the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s second temporary exhibition.
Entitled ‘Globes: Visions of the World’, the exhibition features 170 items that depict the representation of our world and the universe over a 2,500-year period, with a focus on the development of globes, maps, astrolabes and cosmological treatises during this time.
It has been curated by the Bibliotheque nationale de France (BnF), the French national library, and is set to open to public viewing tomorrow.
“This exhibition pays tribute to the scientific minds and researchers who sought to understand the universe and our position in it, thus delving into a variety of sciences, including geography, maths, astronomy, philosophy and cosmology,” Manuel Rabate, director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, announced at a press preview yesterday.
The preview was attended by French Ambassador to the UAE Ludovic Pouille, and members of the media.
“It is essential to understand that the Western vision of the world is not universal, and it should be confronted by other visions and ideologies, as is wonderfully depicted in this
special exhibition. Its theme is also symbolic since it is being displayed in the UAE, at this historical crossroads between the East and West,” Pouille said.
Francois Nawrocki, chief curator of the BnF and deputy director of the Sainte-Genevieve Library in Paris, added that the influence of Arab scientists in the study of the universe is likely to surprise many people in the West.
“Their contributions have largely been forgotten, and we expect that this exhibition, when displayed in France next year, will be educational to visitors there,” he told Gulf News.
The exhibition is organised in 10 overlapping circular rooms, in an exhibition space separate from the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s permanent galleries.
As they walk through, visitors will encounter the earliest known celestial sphere, found in eastern Turkey and dating back to the 2nd century BC, as well as the scientific treatises by GrecoRoman astronomer Claudius Ptolemy. Those with a keen eye will be able to spot the 15th century globes that do not depict the Western Hemisphere.
As the use of globes spread from the West to the Arab World and off to the East, many objects also portray the intermixing of cultures and the transfer of knowledge.