Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery: The Art of the Koran

Koran calligraphy (source: Smithsonian Freer | Sackler Gallery)

The first major US exhibition featuring the art of the Koran – the sacred book of Islam – has opened in Washington. The show at the Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery features around sixty manuscripts celebrated for their superb calligraphy and lavish illumination and comes at a time when the Muslim faith has been caught in the crosshairs of conflicts in the Middle East and concerns about extremism. (22 October 2016 – 20 February 2017)