The exquisite, antique art pieces from various centuries and regions enlighten her home with rich cultural and historical values, said Besancenot. The French ambassador’s wife is a strong believer in exhibiting art as a way of creating awareness of different cultures.
“It is more important today to exchange culture than to own or inherit a piece of art and posses it selfishly. Therefore, exhibitions introduce and inform of various cultures that the new generation might not know off,” said Besancenot.
She added that when people establish a museum, many of the big families who own art and antique pieces recognize that they have increased in value over the years and so present them to museums to exhibit them to younger generations.
Walking into the French ambassador’s residence, you notice the overwhelming way in which the pieces on show are in harmony with the home’s modern setting. The light that filters through the large windows and patio door into the main hall radiates through the highly artistic hand engraved ivory and wood cabinets from the Ottoman period giving them a rich and illuminating feeling.
The exhibition — which started on Feb. 26 and ends today — offers a limited number of visitors a chance to see an exquisite sample of Islamic art.
It includes weapons, ceramics, metal items, doors, textiles and furniture, which reflect both the classical and vernacular traditions of Islamic culture. The displayed items range from the 11th to 19th century and are from Egypt, Persia, Turkey, Syria, India and Morocco.
“We were welcoming everyone. Yet, due to the fact that it is held in our own residence, the number of visitors were limited, but still exceeded expectations,” said Besancenot.
In 2006, the National Museum in Riyadh exhibited the Masterpieces of the ‘Islamic Department at the Louvre Museum,’ while in 2010 the Louvre Museum of Paris hosted the exhibition, ‘Roads of Arabia, Archeology and History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,’ said Daniel Ollivier, the French adviser for Cultural Cooperation and Action at the French Embassy.
He added that hosting the exhibition at their residence is Ambassador Bertrand Besancenot and his wife’s way of contributing to a dialogue of cultures.
“The French ambassador and his wife appreciate art in the first place,” said Artifacts and Antiquities Collector and Curator Faisla Al-Saadawy. “They often come to my gallery with their children and acquire pieces for their private collections.”
Al-Saadawy said that the pieces exhibited at the ambassador’s resident are not on display to the public, not even at his gallery. He added that all of the pieces on display are part of his private collection, save the Kaaba door cover, which was lent to him by another art collector for the exhibition.
The door cover is a masterpiece made of black silk embroidered with silver and gold threads; it is usually designed as a part of the overall cover for the Kaaba in Makkah. This particularly one was presented by the late King Fahd as a gift to the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
In 2012, new galleries of Islamic Art will open at the Louvre in Paris, said Ollivier. “The Islamic department was created five years ago to create a setting to exhibit the Islamic art pieces the Louver possesses,” he said.
Ollivier explained that construction to exhibit those items has been ongoing for the last four years. The galleries will open at the beginning of 2012 and are considered another milestone in the framework set between Saudi Arabia and France to promote Islamic art.
For Besancenot, one of the most fascinating pieces is a water filter piece from the Mamluk period. “It is a masterpiece in my opinion. In addition to its artistic look, it is a modern and useful device,” she said.