Wonders of Creation explores intersections of art and science in Islamic intellectual and visual culture from the 8th century to the present day, using the lens of “wonder” as defined by a celebrated 13th-century Islamic cosmography, an influential text describing the wonders of the universe. Written in Arabic and Persian by the scholar Zakariyya ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini (d. 1283), The Wonders of Creation and Rarities of Existence catalogues the marvels of the universe in a single, richly illustrated book. The text contains anecdotes about the wondrous qualities of the natural world and its inhabitants, all created by God. Beginning with the stars and heavens, it then travels across the earth to conclude with humanity and its crafts and traditions.
September 7, 2024–January 5, 2025The San Diego Museum of Art 1450 El Prado Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
