Vatican Artifacts Featured at Jeddah’s Islamic Arts Biennale

A six-metre map of the Nile, dated to around 1685 and restored by the Vatican, is being exhibited for the first time outside its archives at the second Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah. The event, organised by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, features over 500 historical artifacts and contemporary artworks at the Western Hajj Terminal.

The Nile map, created with watercolour ink on Venetian paper, is displayed alongside 10 other artefacts from the Vatican Library and a map of the Arabian Gulf from Qatar’s National Library. Both maps were acquired in the 1700s in Constantinople by Giuseppe Alemanni, a Lebanese librarian who later became the Vatican Library’s prefect.

The biennale, with the theme ‘And all that is in between’, takes inspiration from a Qur’anic verse and explores faith through contemporary and historical works. Sections include ‘The Art of Numbers’, which examines the role of numerology in Islamic culture and features items from 20 global institutions, including early Qur’anic manuscripts and translations from the Vatican Library.

This year’s exhibition includes contributions from over 30 cultural institutions and 29 newly commissioned artworks. The event will run until May 25th, 2025.