This item has been added to the Database within the Explore Islamic Art Collections project. Information is available in: English, Arabic.

Name of Object:

Photographic view of Mecca

Location:

London, United Kingdom

Holding Museum:

Khalili Family Trust – Hajj and the Arts of Pilgrimage Collection

About Khalili Family Trust – Hajj and the Arts of Pilgrimage Collection, London

Date of Object:

AD 1966

Museum Inventory Number:

ARC.pp 214

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Photographic negative

Period / Dynasty:

Faisal bin ˋAbd al- ˋAziz al-Saud

Provenance:

Saudi Arabia

Description:

Safouh Izzat Naamani was born in Beirut in 1926 and very early on became fascinated by photography. He first travelled to Saudi Arabia in 1951 in order to photograph political events and in 1954 travelled to Mecca specifically to photograph the Masjid al-Haram and the Hajj. Naamani was one of the first photographers to capture Hajj from the air and his aerial photographs of Hajj and Mecca are unique in this period. His photographs from the 1960s capture the newly expanding sanctuary. This photograph was taken during the second phase of the Saudi extension, during the reign of King Faisal (r. 1964–1975). The photograph clearly shows the newly covered Safa-Marwa area for sa‘i in construction; also visible is the imposing Jabal al-Nur to the right of the skyline.

How date and origin were established:

Information regarding date supplied by the photographer's family.

How Object was obtained:

Purchased from the Naamani family, 2017.

Citation of this web page:

Qaisra Khan "Photographic view of Mecca" in Explore Islamic Art Collections. Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;uk;Mus22;1;en

Prepared by: Qaisra Khan

MWNF Working Number: UK2 01