Art and Society of Mamluks Reimagined at Louvre Abu Dhabi

The exhibition ‘Mamluks: Legacy of an Empire’, organized in partnership with the Musée du Louvre in Paris, marks the museum’s first major exhibition devoted to Islamic art since its inception. “It’s a very interesting story,” she says. “This exhibition was discussed and anticipated many, many years ago. It was a real dialogue between the two teams in Abu Dhabi and in Paris.”

The idea, she explains, was not only to present the splendor of Mamluk craftsmanship but also to weave together the cultural and historical threads that defined an era. “It’s also a big premiere for the Louvre in Paris,” she adds. “It was presented there earlier in the spring of 2025, the first major Islamic art exhibition at the Louvre in about fifteen years.”

The Mamluks—warrior-slaves who rose to become rulers—governed from 1250 to 1517, establishing a sultanate that extended from Egypt through Syria and into parts of present-day Turkey. For Dr. Noujaim, curating their legacy meant “giving to this 250-year period its rightful place in the mapping of art and history.”

Revisiting a Forgotten Chapter

“The last major exhibition dedicated to the Mamluks took place in 1981 in Washington,” she recalls. “That approach was very much historical—focused on objects, décor, and style. What we are proposing here is a more exhaustive vision, one that digs into the society beyond its military aspects.”

The result is an immersive exhibition that combines art and anthropology, bringing together metalwork, glass, ceramics, textiles, manuscripts, and everyday artifacts from around the world. For the Louvre, it was also a moment of reflection. “Our collection of Mamluk artifacts is among the most important in the world, outside the Arab world,” Dr. Noujaim notes. “It was in drastic need of storytelling—and this exhibition provides that narrative.”

Visitors are invited to step into a world of astonishing sophistication: Cairo and Damascus as crossroads of trade and learning, where artists, scholars, merchants, and diplomats converged. “he Mamluk Sultanate was squeezed between the Crusader period and the rise of the Ottomans,” she explains. “Yet it created remarkable stability and prosperity in the region.”

An Empire of Connections

If one theme defines the Mamluks, it is connection. “This Sultanate is part of a DNA of mobility,” says Dr. Noujaim. “Even though Cairo and Damascus were the centers of power, the Mamluk world was a true melting pot. People, motifs, and ideas travelled constantly through trade and diplomacy”

The exhibition reveals this intricate network through objects that span continents. “We are showing artifacts from Italy, Spain, France, China, Central Asia, and Africa,” she says. “It gives a real sense of globality—a moment where East met West, North met South. It’s a time of renaissance, a precursor to the European Renaissance.”

She points out that the exhibition also explores how Mamluk innovations in science, medicine, and technology shaped later knowledge systems. “It’s not a straight road,” she says thoughtfully. “But these were the steps that built continuity in history and knowledge.”

Women, Minorities, and the Everyday

One of the most groundbreaking aspects of ‘Mamluks: Legacy of an Empire’ is its focus on women and minority communities. “Mamluk society is often remembered for its military structure,” Dr. Noujaim observes. “But recent research has revealed a far more complex picture—diversity in ethnicity, religion, and gender roles.”

The exhibition brings to light the contributions of Jewish and Coptic communities to administration and governance, as well as the vital role women played as patrons and cultural figures. “We are highlighting two magnificent objects bearing the name of Khawand Fatima, the wife of Sultan Qaitbey,” she says. “She was a great patron of the arts. We also feature a monumental Qur’an commissioned by another woman, who served under Sultan Qalawun. These women were part of the elite, but their lives are also documented in early biographical sources.”

Her voice softens when she describes the more intimate exhibits. “We are showing a comb, a bracelet, and other day-to-day objects that speak of ordinary lives,” she says. “It allows visitors to understand Mamluk society not just through grandeur, but through humanity.”

For Dr. Noujaim, one of the exhibition’s most striking messages is the modernity of Mamluk art. “It’s an art of design, of light, of geometry, and of calligraphy,” she explains. “When you look at Mamluk architecture, you see a mastery of mathematics translated into geometry, a kind of empirical genius. It became the stamp of Islamic art.”

Together with Scientific Curator, Dr. Carine Juvin and Senior Curatorial Assistant Fakhera Alkindi, she sought to make this visual intelligence tangible through immersive experiences. “We wanted visitors to see how advanced the Mamluks were in architecture and design. Their buildings in Cairo, Damascus, Tripoli, and Aleppo were not just symbols of power—they shaped the urban landscape and reflected a wealthy, stable society.”

The wealth, she says, came from the flourishing of trade routes that linked China, Central Asia, and the Middle East. “They dominated the spice trade, the gold trade, the trade in sugar, fur, and textiles. Everything was happening in this part of the world at the time.”

Why through the lens of Abu Dhabi?

Curating the exhibition in Abu Dhabi, rather than Paris, brings a distinct resonance. “It fills a gap in understanding. The Mamluks are part of regional memory here. Our audience in Abu Dhabi is already familiar with their history, but what we are offering is a broader outlook—on modernity, art, and society,” she says.

She sees the show as both a cultural bridge and a reaffirmation of continuity. “For me, this exhibition symbolizes the strong partnership between Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Musée du Louvre. It celebrates how the art of the Mamluks—born of movement, diversity, and light—continues to speak across centuries.”

Before signing off, Dr. Noujaim adds a note of connection for Indian audiences. “The Mamluk system of governance, of enslaved and later freed rulers, existed in Baghdad and also in India in the twelfth century. It’s a reminder that these boundaries were fluid, and our histories deeply intertwined.