BY BLOUIN ARTINFO | February 05, 2019

“Caucasian dragon carpet from the 16th century”
(© National Museums in Berlin, Museum of Islamic Art / Teßmer)

Pergamonmuseum reopens its Carpet Rooms in the Museum of Islamic Art with an exhibition titled “Dream and Trauma.” With this permanent exhibition, the museum invites visitors to experience the origin and history of its carpet collection, and explore the museum’s current work with the carpets.

Carpets of Islamic cultures are an integral part of European cultural history. These carpets, as a testimony to the continuing cultural exchange between Europe and the Middle East, remains the focal point of the Museum of Islamic Art’s permanent exhibition.

“Dream and Trauma” has on view some of the oldest collection pieces of the museum.
“For the first time now carpets are shown, which suffered fire damage in the bombing on Berlin in 1945. The destruction of significant Persian carpets this year was a serious loss of collection. One of the fragments is the 16th century Persian animal rug, the first work of art under the number ‘I. 1’ was inventoried. Very characteristic is also the 16th century Caucasian dragon carpet, which has burn marks over its entire length of six meters. A fragrance station with a specially created smell reminiscent of charred wool, incendiary bombs and chemicals, suggests the losses of that time. And knotting technology models allow visitors to come into contact with the knots,” the museum says.

“They come from the former possession of the museum founder, Wilhelm von Bode. His interest in Islamic art as an independent and European equivalent art form was the origin of a collection that is still rare today, including carpets from today’s Turkey, Iran and the Caucasus,” the museum adds. “The measures for the preservation of the carpet collection in the post-war period are juxtaposed with today’s work in accordance with current ethical conservation and scientific standards.”

The exhibition is on view at Pergamon Museum, Bodestraße 1-3, 10178 Berlin, Germany.
For details, visit
Click on the slideshow for a sneak peek of the exhibition.

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Founder: Louise Blouin