A total of 130 rare and beautiful pieces from the Qatar Museums collection, as well as a spectacular Imperial masterpiece from the National Museum of China’s own collection, were on show, providing visitors with a rare opportunity to see one of the finest collections of pearl jewellery in the world.
Under the guidance of Qatar Museums’ Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the National Museum of China’s Director, His Excellency Lu Zhangshen, the exhibition was a highlight of the Qatar-China 2016 Year of Culture initiative, which aimed to celebrate, strengthen and enhance cultural relationships and mutual understanding between China and Qatar, and to build upon the long, shared history of cultural and diplomatic relations between both countries.
The exhibition was co-curated by internationally renowned pearl expert Dr Hubert Bari. H.E. Lu Zhangshen served as chief planner from China’s side to oversee overall curation. The exhibition highlighted the importance of natural pearls from countries in the Gulf region as part of the region’s rich heritage and identity. It celebrated a wide array of outstanding objects of historical significance to both countries and revealed the history of pearl use over more than 2,000 years, from the Roman period to the 21st century. Among the exhibits were jewel masterpieces by internationally acclaimed designers, royal pearl tiaras from European monarchies, and wearable jewellery crafted from rare pearls from various regions.
