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Lot Essay
The portfolio includes:
'1'. A map of al-Haram al-Nabawi and its surroundings, indicating the new development, scale 1:500
'2'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, plans of the qibla gallery, scale 1:100
'3'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, floor plan of the 'Arabi and Bahri wings, scale 1:100
'4'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, Principal elevation, scale 1:100
'5'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, elevation from the Bahri side, scale 1:100
'7'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, elevation of the women's prayer hall (musalla), scale 1:100
'8'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, elevation of the Hiswa, scale 1:100
'10'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, front elevation from the Hiswa side, scale1:20
'11'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, floor plan of the side entrance (details), scale 1:20
'12'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, elevation plan of the side entrance (detail), scale 1:20
'1.alif': Project for the floor plan of the al-Haram al-Nabawi, scale 1:200
'1.kahraba': Project of the electrical lighting fixed to the columns and entrances, scale 1:200
'2.kahraba': Project of the electrical hanging lighting and ceiling fans, scale 1:200
A floor plan of the main entrance to the al-Haram al-Nabawi, scale 1:20 (not numbered)
A floor plan of the initial project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, scale 1:200 (not numbered), copied from a signed original dated 19 May 1951 and 7 March 1953, with copious annotations
A copy of the tender for the project competition. Plans 6 and 9 are not included in the portfolio.
The Mosque of the Prophet or al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina is one the holiest places in Islam, together with al-Masjid al-Haram which encompasses the Ka'ba in Mecca and al-Haram al-Sharif which holds the Dome of the Rock and Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. Muhammad fled from Mecca to Medina in 622; this journey known as al-Hijra is the beginning of the Muslim calendar. The Prophet died in Medina in 632 and he is buried in al-Haram al-Nabawi which sits on the original place of his house and mosque.
In the seventh year AH, within the Prophet's lifetime, the mosque was rebuilt to welcome the growing population of Muslim converts. It then lived through a number of modifications and enlargements, starting with the early 8th century Umayyad enlargement of Walid I that included the tombs of the Caliphs Abu Bakr and 'Umar, so often depicted on prayer books such as Jazuli's Dala'il al-Khayrat (of which there are a number of examples in this sale). It is Caliph Al-Walid I who added the first four minarets. The celebrated Green Dome originally built over the Prophet's wife 'Aisha in 1279. Various works were executed under the Mamluks and the Ottomans and in 1909 it was the first building in Arabia to be provided with electrical lights.
The Saudi enlargement of al-Haram al-Nabawi was announced on 12 Shawwal AH 1368/9 June 1949 AD by King 'Abd al-'Aziz (r.1932-53). Two years later, the reconstruction project started with the demolition of the surrounding neighbourhoods. The ceremony of the first stone was held in June 1953 and the project completed on 22 October 1955, at a cost of 50 millions riyals. Most of the old mosque was removed with the main wall, tombs and Green Dome remaining as they are. Two of the old minarets were replaced with minarets in the Mamluk revival style whilst two new minarets, each 70-meters high, and a library were added to the compound. The surface of the new mosque passed from 6,033 m.sq to 16,326 m.sq (L'Expansion de al-Harameyn al-Sharifeyn, Dammam, undated). The Egyptian architect Fahmi Moemen Bey, to whom this portfolio once belonged, orchestrated the works. However, it is said that Pakistani architects were called in to the project as their recommendation of keeping the mosque's main wall intact found favour with the Crown Prince Faysal. This wall displays a monumental calligraphic inscription by the 19th century Ottoman calligrapher 'Abdullah Zuhdi.
This portfolio presents a rare opportunity to acquire a series of documents directly linked to the history of the second holiest site of Islam. It is a rare survival that tells us of the irreversible changes that affected the historical place during the 20th century. The haram is a place in constant evolution, with a mission to host hundreds of millions of visiting pilgrims; its current state already displays a very different face to that produced by King 'Abd al-'Aziz's restoration in the early 1950s.
For a discussion on the enlargement of the Mosque, Fahmi Moemen Bey and a set of original drawings, see Sotheby's, London, 7 October 2015, lot 243.
'1'. A map of al-Haram al-Nabawi and its surroundings, indicating the new development, scale 1:500
'2'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, plans of the qibla gallery, scale 1:100
'3'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, floor plan of the 'Arabi and Bahri wings, scale 1:100
'4'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, Principal elevation, scale 1:100
'5'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, elevation from the Bahri side, scale 1:100
'7'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, elevation of the women's prayer hall (musalla), scale 1:100
'8'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, elevation of the Hiswa, scale 1:100
'10'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, front elevation from the Hiswa side, scale1:20
'11'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, floor plan of the side entrance (details), scale 1:20
'12'. Project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, elevation plan of the side entrance (detail), scale 1:20
'1.alif': Project for the floor plan of the al-Haram al-Nabawi, scale 1:200
'1.kahraba': Project of the electrical lighting fixed to the columns and entrances, scale 1:200
'2.kahraba': Project of the electrical hanging lighting and ceiling fans, scale 1:200
A floor plan of the main entrance to the al-Haram al-Nabawi, scale 1:20 (not numbered)
A floor plan of the initial project for al-Haram al-Nabawi, scale 1:200 (not numbered), copied from a signed original dated 19 May 1951 and 7 March 1953, with copious annotations
A copy of the tender for the project competition. Plans 6 and 9 are not included in the portfolio.
The Mosque of the Prophet or al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina is one the holiest places in Islam, together with al-Masjid al-Haram which encompasses the Ka'ba in Mecca and al-Haram al-Sharif which holds the Dome of the Rock and Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. Muhammad fled from Mecca to Medina in 622; this journey known as al-Hijra is the beginning of the Muslim calendar. The Prophet died in Medina in 632 and he is buried in al-Haram al-Nabawi which sits on the original place of his house and mosque.
In the seventh year AH, within the Prophet's lifetime, the mosque was rebuilt to welcome the growing population of Muslim converts. It then lived through a number of modifications and enlargements, starting with the early 8th century Umayyad enlargement of Walid I that included the tombs of the Caliphs Abu Bakr and 'Umar, so often depicted on prayer books such as Jazuli's Dala'il al-Khayrat (of which there are a number of examples in this sale). It is Caliph Al-Walid I who added the first four minarets. The celebrated Green Dome originally built over the Prophet's wife 'Aisha in 1279. Various works were executed under the Mamluks and the Ottomans and in 1909 it was the first building in Arabia to be provided with electrical lights.
The Saudi enlargement of al-Haram al-Nabawi was announced on 12 Shawwal AH 1368/9 June 1949 AD by King 'Abd al-'Aziz (r.1932-53). Two years later, the reconstruction project started with the demolition of the surrounding neighbourhoods. The ceremony of the first stone was held in June 1953 and the project completed on 22 October 1955, at a cost of 50 millions riyals. Most of the old mosque was removed with the main wall, tombs and Green Dome remaining as they are. Two of the old minarets were replaced with minarets in the Mamluk revival style whilst two new minarets, each 70-meters high, and a library were added to the compound. The surface of the new mosque passed from 6,033 m.sq to 16,326 m.sq (L'Expansion de al-Harameyn al-Sharifeyn, Dammam, undated). The Egyptian architect Fahmi Moemen Bey, to whom this portfolio once belonged, orchestrated the works. However, it is said that Pakistani architects were called in to the project as their recommendation of keeping the mosque's main wall intact found favour with the Crown Prince Faysal. This wall displays a monumental calligraphic inscription by the 19th century Ottoman calligrapher 'Abdullah Zuhdi.
This portfolio presents a rare opportunity to acquire a series of documents directly linked to the history of the second holiest site of Islam. It is a rare survival that tells us of the irreversible changes that affected the historical place during the 20th century. The haram is a place in constant evolution, with a mission to host hundreds of millions of visiting pilgrims; its current state already displays a very different face to that produced by King 'Abd al-'Aziz's restoration in the early 1950s.
For a discussion on the enlargement of the Mosque, Fahmi Moemen Bey and a set of original drawings, see Sotheby's, London, 7 October 2015, lot 243.