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Department of the History of Art and Archaeology

Professor Anna Contadini

Laurea (Venice), PhD (London)

Overview

Anna Contadini
Department of the History of Art and Archaeology

Professor of the History of Islamic Art

Centre for Iranian Studies

Member

Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies

Member

London Middle East Institute (LMEI)

Member

Name:
Professor Anna Contadini
Email address:
Telephone:
020 7898 4458
Fax:
020 7898 4479
Address:
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
Building:
Brunei Gallery
Office No:
B306
Office Hours:
All Year (during term time) - Thursdays 2-3pm

Biography

Professor Anna Contadini graduated in Arabic and Islamic Art at the Oriental Institute of Venice University with a thesis on miniature painting of the Mamluk period. She also has a great interest in music and has received a Diploma in piano as a soloist from the Conservatorio ‘Benedetto Marcello’ in Venice. Subsequently she completed her doctorate in Islamic Art at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of London University with a thesis on early Arab and Persian miniature painting. She was then appointed Baring Foundation Research Fellow in Islamic Studies at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, where she was based in the Research Department. She conducted research on a range of objects drawn from the splendid Islamic collection of the Museum, but concentrated on the Fatimid material, on which she then wrote a book, published in 1998. From 1994-7 she was in Ireland, as Lecturer in Islamic Art at Trinity College Dublin, and Curator of the Islamic Collections of the Chester Beatty Library. Anna Contadini is now Professor in the History of Islamic Art.

Teaching

Programmes Convened
Courses Taught
PhD Students supervised
PhD Supervised
Completed Ph.D students:
  • Alison Ohta, "Covering the Book: Bindings of the Mamluk period, 1250-1516 CE", 2012
  • Anna McSweeney, “The Green and the Brown: a study of Paterna ceramics”, 2011
  • Emily Shovelton, “Sultanate painting from the north Indian subcontinent: three fifteenth century Persian illustrated manuscripts”, 2009
  • Gehan Ibrahim, “The Role of Architectural Representations in the Context of Islamic Decoration”,2006
  • Adriana De Miranda, “Water Architecture in Syrian Lands: the Waterwheels”, 2006
  • Abdolhamid Keshmirshekan, “Contemporary Iranian Painting: Neo-Traditionalism during the 1960s to 1990s”, 2004
  • Moya Carey , “Painting the Stars in a Century of Change – A thirteenth-century copy of al-Sufi’s Treatise on the Fixed Stars, BL Or. 5323”, 2001

Research

One of Professor Contadini’s main areas of research is on Arabic and Persian illustrated manuscripts. She was editor of the book Arab Painting (2007, revised edition 2010) and is the author of A World of Beasts: A Thirteenth-Century Illustrated Arabic Book on Animals (the Kitāb Na‘t al-Ḥayawān) in the Ibn Bakhtīshū‘ Tradition (2012), both published by Brill. She was granted a “Visiting Researcher” position at the University of Heidelberg, 2009-2011, for interdisciplinary research on “Images of Alterity” in Medieval Western and Arabic and Persian illustrated manuscripts. She has also been elected to Associate Member of ICMA (International Centre of Medieval Art).

Professor Contadini is also continuing work on the interconnections between Europe, especially Italy, and the Middle East. The updated proceedings of the international conference on “The Renaissance and the Ottoman World” that she organized with the Warburg Institute in 2005 will soon be published by Ashgate as a co-edited volume of papers with Claire Norton. Another important aspect of her work on the connections between East and West is as the principal researcher and director of an interdisciplinary project on the Pisa Griffin, Mari-Cha Lion, Lucca Falcon and related metalwork and material culture, in collaboration with Pisa Opera del Duomo, Pisa University, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Oxford University, and Istituto Superiore per la Conservazione ed il Restauro (ISCR) in Rome. One of the outcomes of this project is a seminar held in SOAS on 14 February 2013 that brings together art historians, historians and scientists to share their findings on these objects.

In 2012 Professor Contadini curated the exhibition Gifts of Recognition: Modern and Contemporary Art from the SOAS Collections, 11 July - 22 September 2012, which highlighted a number of art works that belonged to the School. This stems from an earlier 2007 project on the SOAS historical and art historical collections which resulted in a publication and exhibition at the Brunei Gallery titled Objects of Instruction, Treasures of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 11 October – 15 December 2007. Generously funded by the Foyle Foundation and the AHRC, the exhibition culminated in a permanent, rotating display of SOAS artistic and archival Treasures in the Foyle Special Collections Gallery. This is an important project aimed at publicizing the School’s remarkably rich but little known artistic and archival collections. It made the artistic assets of SOAS accessible for the first time to a wider audience, including students, scholars, and members of the general public.

Expertise

For help in contacting SOAS academics and advice on services to business and the community, please contact SOAS Enterprise on +44(0)20 7898 4837 or email enterprise@soas.ac.uk.
For all press and media enquiries please call +44 (0)20 7898 4956/4135 or email comms@soas.ac.uk

Available for
  • Short Term Consultancy
  • TV
  • Long Term Consultancy
  • Radio
  • Press
  • Briefings
  • Special Study Programmes
Regional Expertise
  • Africa
  • Near and Middle East
Country Expertise
  • Egypt
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Jordan
  • Spain
  • Syria
  • Turkey
Languages
  • Arabic
  • French
  • Italian
  • Spanish

Publications

Jump to: Authored Books | Edited Books | Book Chapters | Articles | Book Reviews | Shows/Exhibitions

Authored Books

Contadini , Anna (2012) A World of Beasts: A Thirteenth-Century Illustrated Arabic Book on Animals (the Kitāb Na‘t al-Ḥayawān) in the Ibn Bakhtīshū‘ Tradition. Leiden; Boston: Brill.

Contadini, Anna and Bayani, M. and Stanley, T. (1999) The Decorated Word: Qu'rans of the 17th to 19th centuries in The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art. London: Azimuth Editions and OUP . (The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art)

Contadini, Anna (1998) Fatimid Art at the Victoria and Albert Museum. V & A (London).

Edited Books

Contadini, Anna and Norton, Claire, eds. (2012) The Renaissance and the Ottoman World. London: Ashgate. (Forthcoming)

Contadini, Anna, ed. (2010) Arab Painting: Text and Image in Illustrated Arabic Manuscripts (revised edition). Leiden: Brill.

Contadini , Anna, ed. (2007) Arab Painting: Text and Image in Illustrated Arabic Manuscripts. Leiden: Brill. (Handbuch der Orientalistik)

Contadini, Anna, ed. (2007) Objects of Instruction: Treasures of the School of Oriental and African Studies. London: SOAS.

Behrens-Abouseif, Doris and Contadini , Anna, eds. (2004) Essays in Honor of J. M. Rogers. Leiden: Brill. (Muqarnas)

Contadini , Anna and Burnett, Charles, eds. (1999) Islam and the Italian Renaissance. London: The Warburg Institute. (Warburg Institute Colloquia)

Book Chapters

Contadini , Anna (2010) '“Translocation and Transformation: Some Middle Eastern Objects in Europe”.' In: The Power of Things and the Flow of Cultural Transformation. Art and Culture between Europe and Asia, ed. by Lieselotte E. Saurma-Jeltsch and Anja Eisenbeiss. Berlin-Munich: Deutscher Kunstverlag, pp. 42-65.

Contadini, Anna (2009) 'Ayyubid Illustrated Manuscripts and their North Jaziran and `Abbasid Neighbours.' In: Hillenbrand, R. and Auld, S., (eds.), Ayyubid Jerusalem. The Holy City in Context 1187-1250. London: Altajir Trust, 179-194, and col. ills. 17-37..

Contadini , Anna (2008) 'The Zoological-Medicinal Material in the Arcadian Library Manuscript.' In: Burnett, C., (ed.), Ibn Baklarish's Book of Simples: Medical Remedies between Three Faiths in Twelfth-Century Spain. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 133-159.

Contadini , Anna (2007) 'The Manuscript as a Whole.' In: Contadini , Anna, (ed.), Arab Painting. Text and Image in Illustrated Arabic Manuscripts. Leiden: Brill, pp. 1-17. (Handbuch der Orientalistik)

Contadini , Anna (2006) 'Middle Eastern Objects.' In: Ajmar-Wollheim , M and Dennis, F, (eds.), At Home in Renaissance Italy. London: V&A Publications, pp. 308-321.

Contadini , Anna (2006) 'Le stoffe islamiche nel Rinascimento italiano tra il XV e il XVI secolo.' In: Degl’Innocenti, D, (ed.), Intrecci Mediterranei. Il tessuto come dizionario di rapporti economici, culturali e sociali. Prato: Museo del Tessuto, pp. 28-35.

Contadini , Anna (2004) 'Musical Beasts: the Swan-Phoenix in the Ibn Bakhtishu` Bestiaries.' In: O’Kane, B., (ed.), The Iconography of Islamic Art – Studies in Honour of Robert Hillenbrand. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, pp. 93-101.

Contadini , Anna (2004) 'The Arts of the Book.' In: "Mamluk Art", Encyclopaedia of Islam. New Edition. Leiden: Brill.

Contadini, Anna (2002) 'Travelling pattern: a Qur'anic illumination and its secular source.' In: Canby, S, (ed.), Safavid Art and Architecture. British Museum Press (London), pp. 58-66.

Contadini , Anna and Camber, R. and Northover, P. (2002) 'Beasts that Roared: The Pisa Griffin and the New York Lion.' In: Ball, W. and Harrow, L., (eds.), Cairo to Kabul. Afghan and Islamic Studies Presented to Ralph Pinder-Wilson. Melisende, pp. 65-83.

Contadini, Anna (2000) 'Ugo Monneret de Villard - A Master of the Italian Orientalist School.' In: Vernoit, S, (ed.), Discovering Islamic Art. Scholars,Collectors and Collections 1850-1950. I.B. Tauris (London), pp. 156-162.

Contadini, Anna (2000) 'Le arti in Spagna e Marocco nei periodi almoravide e almoade.' In: Cassanelli, R, (ed.), Il Mediterraneo e L'Arte nel Medioevo. Jaca Books (Milan), pp. 38-61.

Contadini, Anna (2000) 'Le arti del periodo Fatimide.' In: Cassanelli, R, (ed.), Il Mediterraneo e L'Arte nel Medioevo. Jaca Book (Milan), pp. 118-137.

Contadini, Anna (1999) 'Artistic Contacts: Present Scholarship and Future Tasks.' In: Contadini, A. and Burnett, C., (eds.), Islam and the Italian Renaissance. Warburg Institute Colloquia. London: The Warburg Institute (London), pp. 1-65.

Contadini , Anna (1999) 'The Cutting Edge: Problems of History, Identification and Technique of Fatimid Rock Crystals.' In: Barrucand, M, (ed.), L’Egypte fatimide. Son art et son histoire: actes du colloque organisé à Paris les 28, 29 et 30 mai 1998. Paris: Presses Universitaires de Paris-Sorbonne, pp. 319-329.

Contadini , Anna (1998) 'Poetry on Enamelled Glass: The Palmer Cup in the British Museum.' In: Ward, R, (ed.), Gilded and Enamelled Glass from the Middle East. London: British Museum Press, 56-60 .

Contadini , Anna (1998) 'Des arts décoratifs florissants.' In: Barrucand, M, (ed.), Trésors fatimides du Caire. Paris: Institute du Monde Arabe, 74-84, and entries 23, 26, 54, 55, 82, 85, 87, 89, 100, 155, 156, 161, 203, 205, 208..

Contadini , Anna (1997) 'Murcia.' In: Enciclopedia dell'Arte Medievale. Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana Treccani, pp. 614-615.

Contadini , Anna (1997) 'Bone, Ivory, and Shell: Artifacts of the Byzantine and Islamic Periods.' In: Meyers, Eric M., (ed.), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East. New York; Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 348-350.

Contadini , Anna (1996) 'The Horse in Two Manuscripts of Ibn Bakhtishu`'s Kitab Manafi` al-Hayawan.' In: Alexander, D., (ed.), Furusiyya. Vol. 1 - The horse in the art of the Near East. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: The King Abdulaziz Public Library, pp. 142-147.

Contadini, Anna (1995) 'Islamic Ivory Chess Pieces, Draughtsmen and Dice in the Ashmolean Museum.' In: Allan, J, (ed.), Islamic Art in the Ashmolean Museum; Oxford Studies in Islamic Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 30-51.

Contadini , Anna (1995) 'Contributions on "Four chess pieces (7.49)", "Ewer (7.50)", "Textile with embroidered calligraphic band (7.51)", Incense burner (7.57)" and "Minbar for the Sultan Qa'itbay (7.67)".' In: Phillips, T., (ed.), Africa - The Art of a Continent. London: Royal Academy of Arts, 582-584, 588, 595.

Contadini , Anna (1993) 'La Spagna dal II/VIII al VII/XIII Secolo.' In: Curatola , G, (ed.), Eredita' dell'Islam - Arte islamica in Italia. Milan: Silvana Editoriale, pp. 105-132.

Contadini , Anna and Carboni, Stefano (1990) 'An illustrated copy of al-Qazwini's "The Wonders of Creation".' In: Prideaux, S, (ed.), Sotheby's Art at Auction: 1989-1990. London: Sotheby's Publications, pp. 228-233.

Contadini , Anna (1989) 'Simone Assemani, professore di lingue orientali a Padova.' In: Gallotta, A and Marazzi, U, (eds.), La Conoscenza dell'Asia e dell'Africa in Italia nei secoli XVIII e XIX. Volume III. Tomo I. Napoli : Istituto Universitario Orientale, pp. 209-245.

Contadini , Anna (1989) '‘Cuoridoro’: tecnica e decorazione di cuoi dorati veneziani e italiani con influssi islamici.' In: Grube, E.J., (ed.), Arte veneziana e arte islamica : atti del Primo simposio internazionale sull'arte veneziana e l'arte islamica. Venice: Edizioni l’Altra Riva, pp. 231-251.

Articles

Contadini , Anna (2007) 'A Jewel of Mughal Painting: The SOAS Anvar-i Suhayli Manuscript.' Orientations, 38 (8). pp. 51-56.

Contadini , Anna (2006) 'A Question in Arab Painting: The Ibn al-Sufi Manuscript in Tehran and its Art-Historical Connections.' Muqarnas, 23 . pp. 47-84.

Contadini , Anna (2005) 'Fatimid Ivories Within a Mediterranean Culture.' The Ivories of Muslim Spain, The Journal of the David Collection, ed. by K. von Folsach and J. Mayer, 2 (2). pp. 226-247.

Contadini , Anna (2004) 'A Wonderful World: Folios from a Dispersed Manuscript of the Nuzhat-nama.' In Behrens-Abouseif, D. and Contadini, A. (eds), Essays in Honor of J. M. Rogers, Muqarnas, 21 . pp. 95-120.

Contadini, Anna (2003) 'A Bestiary Tale: Text and Image of the Unicorn in the Kitab Na`�t al-Hayawan.' Muqarnas, vol. 2 . pp. 17-33.

Contadini , Anna (1995) 'Islamic Manuscripts and the ARCH Foundation.' Apollo (396). pp. 29-30.

Contadini , Anna (1994) 'The Ibn Buhtishu` Bestiary Tradition. The text and Its Sources.' Medicina nei Secoli Arte e Scienza, 6 (2). pp. 349-364.

Contadini , Anna (1994) 'A Figurative Islamic Ivory Chess Piece.' Scacchi e Scienze Applicate, 12 (14). pp. 3-4.

Contadini , Anna (1989) 'The Kitab Manafi` al-Hayawan in the Escorial Library.' Islamic Art, 3 . pp. 33-57.

Contadini , Anna (1988) 'Due pannelli di cuoio dorato nel Museo Civico Medievale di Bologna.' Annali di Cà Foscari, Rivista della Facoltà di Lingue e Letterature Straniere dell'Università di Venezia, Serie Orientale, XXVII (3). pp. 127-142.

Contadini , Anna (1986) 'Note sul Kitab Manafi` al-Hayawan dell'Escorial.' Annali di Cà Foscari, Rivista della Facoltà di Lingue e Letterature Straniere dell'Università di Venezia, Serie Orientale, XXV (3). pp. 109-121.

Book Reviews

Contadini, Anna (2010) 'Review of Margaret Meserve, Empires of Islam in Renaissance Historical Thought, Harvard University Press, 2008.' Speculum . pp. 173-175.

Contadini , Anna (2009) 'Review of Marco Spallanzani, Oriental Rugs in Renaissance Florence. Florence: S.P.E.S., 2007.' The Burlington Magazine, 151 (1270). p. 35.

Contadini, Anna (2001) 'Review of K. Adahl and M. Ahlund, 'Islamic Art Collections. An International Survey'.' Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 2 (2). pp. 270-271.

Contadini , Anna (1997) 'Review of S. Guthrie, 'Arab Social Life in the Middle Ages. An Illustrated Study', London 1995.' The Burlington Magazine . p. 558.

Contadini , Anna (1997) 'Review of G. Goodwin, 'Sinan. Ottoman Architecture and Its Value Today', London 1993.' The Burlington Magazine . p. 205.

Contadini , Anna (1997) 'Review of Robert Hillenbrand, 'Islamic Architecture. Form, function and meaning', Edinburgh 1994.' The Burlington Magazine . pp. 205-206.

Contadini , Anna (1997) 'Review of T. Pérez Higuera, 'Objetos e imagenes de al-Andalus'.' Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 60 (1). pp. 136-137.

Contadini , Anna (1995) 'Review of Sheila Blair and Jonathan Bloom, 'The Art and Architecture of Islam 1250-1800', Yale University Press 1994.' The Burlington Magazine . pp. 120-121.

Contadini , Anna (1994) 'Review of Dalu Jones (ed.), 'Il Teatro delle Acque', Rome, 1992.' The Burlington Magazine . pp. 113-114.

Shows/Exhibitions

Contadini , Anna (2012) Gifts of Recognition: Modern and Contemporary Art from the SOAS Collections. [Shows/Exhibitions]

Contadini , Anna (2007) At Home in Renaissance Italy. [Shows/Exhibitions]

Contadini , Anna (2007) Objects of Instruction: Treasures of the School of Oriental and African Studies. [Shows/Exhibitions]

Contadini, Anna (2005) Intrecci Mediterranei. [Shows/Exhibitions]

Contadini , Anna (1998) Trésors fatimides du Caire. [Shows/Exhibitions]

Contadini, Anna (1995) The Ottoman World and Europe. [Shows/Exhibitions]

Contadini , Anna (1994) Eredità dell'Islam. Arte Islamica in Italia. [Shows/Exhibitions]

Contadini , Anna (1993) Rock Crystal Objects from the V&A Collection. [Shows/Exhibitions]

This list was generated on Sat Feb 2 01:55:00 2013 GMT.