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Pyramids by Yervant Chimchidian

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I have uploaded Yervant Chimchidian's (1903-1975) Pyramids not because of its historical or commercial value, but because I thought it would look cool against the dark background of the site. I really heard these words and I'm sure you must have had, too. I do not know why, but Yervant's oil on canvas moves me. Not that it is melancholic; on the contrary, whenever I feel like that, it swiftly takes me out of it. Oh, it does look cool against a dark background, by the way. :-) Dimensions: 24.5x35.5 cm. Estimated value: $ 750
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Pictures and Painting in Islam

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It is only time that we touch a few thorny subjects, and possibly the thorniest of them all is the status of pictures or painting in Islam and Islamic art. The so called ban on pictures opens the door to a myriad of conflicting views and the end result is more than one billion confused people. Some Islamic scholars claim it is banned in any and every form, some claim the ban is on animate objects, some say it is only limited to picturing the prophet, i.e. Mohammad, and some of course believe there is no such restriction at all. The issue has not come to the attention of the West until Taliban's destruction of an ancient Buddha temple (because it has a picture of Buddha) in Afghanistan in March 2001. After the temple were blown to pieces, the idea that Islam is hostile to painting has emerged in the West, and exacerbated with the Mohammad caricatures or cartoons of last year. Before we proceed, let us also define what we mean by Islamic art. Sheila S. Brown and Jonathan M. Bloom giv...
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Rococo Board by Ismail Hakki Mektubi

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Another fine example of Ottoman calligraphy, a signed (with ketebe) board by Ismail Hakki Mektubi (?-?). It praises all the sultans of the empire, starting from Osman (Othman), the founder, to Abdulaziz. Written with a talik style, the board is ornamented with (tezhip) gold and plant motifs of various colors, shining with the glamor of rococo days. It can illuminate any dark lit room; add a mirror or two and enjoy your cognac. Am I being sentimental or what? Dimensions: 36x26 cm. Estimated value: $ 4,500
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