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Of the several enthralling exhibitions of artworks seen in London recently, one of the most attractive and well-organized was titled Spirit of Life, held at the Ismaili Centre, opposite the V&A Museum in South Kensington. There, previously undisplayed works of Islamic art from the collection of the Aga Khan Museum were seen in public for the first time. It was an absorbing experience to study the varied arts, 15th century carved panels of calligraphy, pages of manuscripts from the Shahnama, miniature works, rock carvings, ceramics, metal-work, textiles, glass and oil paintings — spanning over one thousand years. The precious artworks covered a vast geographical region from Spain to Indonesia.
  
 
 
 
One of the most crowd-drawing attractions was the earliest known copy of Avicenna’s ‘Canon of Medicine’, dated 1052. It was used as the standard medical text throughout the Middle East and Europe for a period of 500 years, and was described in detail in the complimentary audio guides that accompanied the show.
Another rare exhibit was a complete full-skirted, long-sleeved costume of the Mongol period, originating in Central Asia in the 13th century.
His Highness, the Aga Khan, who marked the beginning of his Golden Jubilee in July 2007, commented on the event, “This exhibition of artistic masterpieces from the Islamic world underlines that the arts, particularly when they are spiritually inspired, can become a medium of discourse that transcends the barriers of our day-to-day experiences and preoccupations. Many questions are currently being raised in the West about the Muslim world, with countless misconceptions and misunderstandings occurring between contemporary societies. I hope that this exhibition will hold a special significance at a time which calls for enlightened encounters among faiths and cultures.”