altA Singapore Goverment Agency Website
Contact Us Donate
Aa
A a
alt alt
Menu
Plan Your Visit
What's On
Tours
Family Fun
Learning and Access
Festivals
Events
Lectures
Exhibitions
 

Galleries
Collection
Research
Publications
Explore ACM's Collection at Roots.SG
Learning
Let's Learn About... resources
Pre-school
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Educators
Support Us
Make a Gift
Object Donation and Bequests
Become a Volunteer
Our Donors
galleries-level3-stuff1
Support Us

Your gift helps to promote the diverse arts and cultures of Asia.

 

Who We Are
ACM Advisory Board
Venue Hire
  • Home
  • Galleries
  • Islamic Art
Islamic Art Gallery
Gallery
Islamic Art
Exquisite works of religious art produced by and for Islamic faithful across Asia, with a main focus on Southeast Asia, show how global notions of Islamic art were adapted across the region to create unique visual forms that reflect indigenous influences.
Islamic Art Gallery
View all Galleries
Permanent

Admission

Free for Singaporeans & PRs. Ticketing charges for tourists apply.

More info
Getting here

5 min walk from Raffles Place MRT Station

More info
Islamic Art Gallery
Gallery Overview

The gallery showcases ritual, secular, courtly, and scientific objects that reflect Islamic values and sensibilities, inviting visitors to explore the rich variety and beauty of Islamic art. Exquisite works of religious art produced by and for Islamic faithful across Asia, with a main focus on Southeast Asia, show how global notions of Islamic art were adapted across the region to create unique visual forms that reflect indigenous influences.

Folio from De Materia Medica
Folio from De Materia Medica (The Medicinal Properties of Plants) translated into Persian
Deccan India, September 1595 CE
Paper, ink, pigments

This folio is a Persian translation of a 1st-century AD text by the Greek physician, Dioscorides, detailing the properties and preparation of medicinal plants. The first Arabic translation of the original Greek text was completed in the 9th century in Baghdad, after which the work spread throughout the Islamic world, laying the foundation for the study of botany and pharmacology among Muslim scholars and scientists. Arabic versions of Dioscorides’ text provided the basis for translations into Latin, Persian and Armenian. Written in nasta’liq script, this folio follows the iconography of Arabic versions of the work, although the illustrations have an artistic freedom and vibrancy that are typical of the Deccan.

Star-shaped tile with two figures
Star-shaped tile with two figures
Iran, Kashan, 1230
Frit ware

One of the significant contributions of potters from the Islamic world is lustre painting. This technique involved the application of metallic glazes on already fired surfaces. The objects would then be fired a second time to produce a shiny metallic veneer over the existing glaze.


OTHER GALLERIES
  • Gallery
    Ancient Religions
    Masterpieces of sculpture, painting, and ritual objects trace the spread of the grand religions of India – Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, across trade routes from India to China, and on to Southeast Asia.
  • Gallery
    Christian Art
    As Christianity spread across Asia, new works of art were required to convey Christian stories, embellish churches, and motivate new converts.
  • Gallery
    Ancestors and Rituals
    Ancestors and Rituals examines the ancestral and ritualistic beliefs of traditional societies, including some of the most remote communities in Southeast Asia. The objects on display include some of ACM’s oldest collections – originally in the old Raffles Library and Museum.
  • Gallery
    Scholars

    For centuries, the scholar represented an ideal in Chinese culture. Great respect was accorded to individuals who could read classical texts, write and paint, play music, pursue academic studies, and demonstrate elegance and grace. Whether a civil servant, a successful merchant, or an overseas Chinese, learned individuals played a key role in Chinese culture.

alt

Sign Up Newsletter

SIGN UP
Plan Your Visit What's On
Galleries
Collection Research
Support Us Who We Are

Managed By

Logo NHB
Contact UsFAQs
Report Vulnerability Legal Privacy Statement Terms of Use Rate This Service

© 2021, Government of Singapore

Last Updated on 01 Jun 2020

Keep up to date with all our museums!