Cartier, Islamic Inspiration, and Modern Design Exhibition Unveiled at Louvre Abu Dhabi
The exhibition titled “Cartier, Islamic Inspiration, and Modern Design” recently opened at Louvre Abu Dhabi, shedding light on the cross-cultural impact of Islamic art and architecture on Cartier’s iconic creations. The exhibition, running from November 16 to March 24, explores over a century of artistic influence, featuring more than 400 works from Louvre Abu Dhabi, partner museums, the Cartier Collection, and private collections.
The immersive exhibition is the result of nearly five years of research into the links between Cartier creations and Islamic art, aiming to identify the sources of inspiration for some of the brand’s most innovative pieces. The exhibition offers a journey through the sources that inspired Cartier’s masterpieces and emphasizes the discovery of Islamic art by artists at the beginning of the 20th century.
Louis Cartier, the grandson of the founder of Cartier, played a significant role in this exploration, building a personal collection of Islamic art in the 1910s, which influenced the Maison’s designers. The exhibition showcases works inspired by Islamic art, including a wooden carved ivory panel, a glass vessel in the shape of a mosque lamp, a fragment of a mosaic panel, and more.
The exhibition is co-organized by Louvre Abu Dhabi, Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Musee du Louvre, and France Museums, with the support of Maison Cartier. It explores the Indian connection to Cartier, with Louis Cartier’s interest in Persian and Indian paintings and manuscripts leading to a true Persian fashion trend in Paris.
In addition to the physical exhibition, a temporary exhibit features a digital space with large digital animations showing the assembly of Cartier key pieces and their sources of inspiration. Projections on the museum’s façade also take visitors on the journey of Jacques Cartier’s travels.
The exhibition provides a rich cultural and educational program, including talks with curators, film screenings, guided tours, masterclasses, a family weekend, and more, offering visitors a comprehensive experience of the intersection between Cartier’s creations and Islamic art.