The El-Nimer Collection

Over forty years in the making, the El-Nimer Collection is a continuously growing selection of items chosen for both aesthetical and historical value.

The collection sheds light on the rich and complex evolution of the socio-political history of the region through its artistic and cultural productions. It includes pieces spanning around ten centuries of civilisation and hailing from the vast lands that have carried, or interacted with the legacy of Islamic culture.

The collection is primarily built on the taste of the collector and on choosing works in ways to form meaningful groupings in the collection. The goal is to separate out specific works of art and assemble them in such a way, to advance the public’s understanding of art in particular and its evolution.

The collection’s highlights include manuscripts, numismatics, ceramics, glass, arms and armour, textiles, photographs, postcards, maps, icons, mother-of-pearl, Orientalist, modern and contemporary paintings.

Dar El-Nimer for Arts and Culture presents thematic exhibitions curated from the private collection of the founder. The collection is displayed publicly through these exhibitions which are accompanied by an exhibition catalogue.

Works from the El-Nimer Collection are available for loans to local and international institutions.

Highlights

  • Islamic Art

    A wide array of Islamic works of art from across the Muslim lands, with a focus on productions from the Ottoman era. This section includes Qur’ans manuscripts, works on paper, arms and armour, tiles, ceramics, numismatics, glass, textiles and decorative arts.

  • Christian Art

    Sacred works with a focus on objects created around the cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem make up the bulk of this collection. Icons of the Jerusalem School, shell icons, proskynetaria, reliquary crosses, manuscripts, textiles and numismatics are all included in this collection. One of the highlights from this section is a rare collection of pottery from Jerusalem’s Armenian workshops.

  • Photographs & Souvenirs

    Palestine has been a destination for pilgrims, travellers and merchants throughout medieval and modern history. Productions of guides and memorabilia to assist and signify visits to the Holy Land make up an important aspect of the collection. This section includes manuscripts, maps, letters, lithographs, photographs, postcards, souvenirs and stereoscopes.

  • Modern & Contemporary Palestinian Art

    A growing collection of modern and contemporary works by the pioneers of the Palestinian arts and culture movement from the early 20th century until present day, such as the works of Ismail Shammout, Ibrahim Ghannam, Amer Shomali, Sliman Mansour are all included in this section.

  • Orientalist Art

    An important part of the collection includes works by European Orientalist artists who have visited the Levant. Oil paintings, watercolours, drawings and sketchbooks by prominent artists such a Jean-Baptiste Vanmour, Amadeo Preziosi, Boris Novikoff, and Osmod Romieux are all highlighted in this section.