‘Pearls, Jewels from the Sea’ – an exhibition which presents the history and legend, mythology and meaning of pearls and pearl jewellery from Qatar and around the world – opened yesterday at the Museum of Turkish & Islamic Arts in Istanbul, Turkey.
Qatar Museums’ (QM) internationally acclaimed exhibition, which will run until January 10, 2016, is composed of a series of unique and beautiful pieces carefully collected and curated during the last ten years.
Visitors will have a rare opportunity to see one of the finest and diverse collections of pearl jewellery which include more than 100 pieces from around the world including the Gulf, Europe and Asia. Jewellery items made from Gulf natural pearls feature among the masterpieces.
In a press statement, QM said highlights include pieces produced by renowned French jeweller Cartier, pearl earrings designed by Bvlgari and worn by Elizabeth Taylor, a spectacular tiara worn by Archduchess Marie Valerie of Austria, and six Royal tiaras from other European monarchies.
The exhibition also showcases ethnographic and tribal pieces of pearl jewellery, such as a headdress from Tibet.
QM noted that pieces in the collection date back from Roman times through to 2011. The oldest piece is a bracelet from the 3rd-century AD while the most recent item is the “Frozen” necklace produced in 2011 by Vietnamese-German artist Sam Tho-Duong.  
“Pearls are a crucial part of Qatar’s heritage and an important feature of much Ottoman jewellery,” said Dr Hubert Bari, curator of the exhibition.
“Bringing pearls to Istanbul as part of the Qatar Turkey 2015 Year of Culture feels like a natural way to celebrate the warm friendship and spirit of collaboration and partnership that exists between these two countries,” he added.
Bari described the Museum of Turkish & Islamic Arts as “a unique and intimate space, and the ideal setting to reflect the many wonders of this amazing gemstone and highlight our centuries-long passion with pearls.”
A highlight of the 2015 Qatar Turkey Year of Culture initiative, the exhibition has been developed in close collaboration with the Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
‘Pearls, Jewels from the Sea,’ under the guidance of QM’s Chairperson HE Sheikha al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, aims to celebrate, strengthen and enhance cultural relationships and mutual understanding between Turkey and Qatar.
The event also aims to build upon the long, shared history of cultural and diplomatic relations between both countries.
The exhibition is one of QM’s flagship international projects and has been visited by people around the world. It received widespread critical acclaim in countries where it has previously been exhibited including Japan, the UK and Brazil as part of the Year of Culture programme.
Given the diversity and extraordinary beauty of the objects, as well as the widespread use of pearls in much Ottoman jewellery, QM noted that ‘Pearls, Jewels from the Sea’ is likely to be of great interest to audiences in Turkey too.
QM said the main body of the exhibition chronicles the historical use of pearls in jewellery, from their earliest recorded use in Antiquity as symbols of power and status. It then tracks the development of pearls during medieval times when they became symbols of luxury.
“This section of the exhibition also pays homage to the myths and legends surrounding these “jewels from the sea”, ranging from a widespread belief among tribal Indians that they were formed from tears of their Gods, to the idea that they are formed from grains of sand,” QM noted.
The importance of pearls in the Gulf region, particularly in Qatar, is the other main component of the exhibition.