Music, Literature, Dance and Fashion | Literature

Music, Literature, Dance and Fashion | Literature | Folk tales
and story-telling in Arab and Ottoman lands
In societies where illiteracy was high, folk literature was invoked to cater for the needs of the many by
bringing the creations of folk artists and elite writers to non-readers.
The folk literary genre found its clearest expression in two forms: religious performances to celebrate the
birthday of holy men and story-telling in coffee houses. Sufi groups executed these performances at religious
festivals in the form of religious songs. At religious festivals, secular and religious activities took place side
by side and were the main outlet for folk artists; but story-tellers recited extracts from the Arabian Nights and
Taghribat Bani Hilal and many other popular tales, including stories from Antara ibn Shaddad (Antara bin
Abs), in coffee houses and occasionally in folk theatres as well. The translator of Arabian Nights, Edward
W. Lane, in his book Manners and Customs of Modern Egyptians (1833#5), describes in detail how poetic
citations were inserted to reinforce the context during performances and how tales were accompanied by
music. The oral tradition was never static and new tales continued to be added up until the 19th century.
Working Number: FR 162
Name:
Holding Museum:
Date:
Materials:
Curator
Justification:
Les Mille et une nuits, contes arabes traduits par Galland, illustrés par les
meilleurs artistes français...
National Library of France
1875
The story behind The Thousand and One Nights (also known as the
Arabian Nights) is puzzling. There are various Arabic editions and a
number of translations. The origin of each tale is ancient, however,
and rooted in various geographical and cultural areas.
Working Number: PD 034
Name:
A reproduction of the painting A Cafe in Istanbul
Holding Museum: Source: http://www.thy.com/tr-TR/corporate/skylife/article.aspx?
mkl=298via Wikimedia Commons
Date:
1850-1882
Materials:
Curator
Justification:
Performances by story-tellers reciting folk literature were held in
venues similar to this Ottoman coffee house.
Working Number: PD 033
Name:
The story-teller of Maqha al-Nawfara
Holding Museum: Museum With No Frontiers (MWNF)
Date:
Contemporary photo
Materials:
-
Curator
Justification:
A story-teller in a coffee house in Damascus. In the
background, on the wall, are two drawings from the
epic poem by Antara bin Abs.
Working Number: JO 015
Name:
Rababa
Holding Museum: Jordan Museum for Costumes and Jewellery,
Department of Antiquities
Date:
Early 20th century
Materials:
Wood, animals skin; handmade and hand painted
Curator
Justification:
Story-tellers were often accompanied by
musicians. The rebab or rababa is an ancient Arab
string instrument that was sometimes played to
accompany recitals.
Working Number: FR 184
Name:
Illustrations de Les Mille et une nuits. Volume I
Holding Museum: National Library of France
Date:
1840
Materials:
-
Curator
Justification:
When Arabian Nights was first translated for a European public in the
18th century it made a huge impact. The Calcutta I (Shirwanee) and
Bulaq (Cairo) editions are among the earliest, and the most popular
translations are those by A. Galland, R. F. Burton and J. C. Mardrus.
Working Number: FR 185
Name:
Holding Museum:
Date:
Materials:
Curator
Justification:
Aladin ou La lampe merveilleuse : esquisse de
décor de l'acte I ou acte II
National Library of France
1822
Tales from the Arabian Nights fuelled the
European public’s imagination and hunger for the
“exoticism of the East”. Arabian Nights was so
popular in Europe that theatre performances and
ballets were based on it; the story of Aladdin is one
of the best-known.
Working Number: PT 076
Histoire de la Princesse Boudour (Conte des mille et une nuits), Translation
by J.C. Mardrus of The Story of the Princess Boudour: Tales of a Thousand
Holding Museum:
and One Nights
Date:
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
Materials:
Paris: F.L. Schmied, 1926
Curator
Binding: black and green morocco by Georges Bretté (1893–1969),
Justification:
with one lacquered plate by Jean Dunond (1877–1942)
Name:
Jean-Charles Mardrus (1868–1949) was born in Cairo and is best
known for his translation of the Arabian Nights from Arabic to French.
François-Louis Schmied (1873–1941) and Jean Dunand (1877–1942)
worked together to illustrate the volume translated by Mardrus, which
is widely regarded as the most beautifully illustrated and eloquent of
the French translations.
Working Number: PT 076
Histoire de la Princesse Boudour (Conte des
mille et une nuits), Translation by J.C. Mardrus
Holding Museum:
of The Story of the Princess Boudour: Tales of a
Date:
Thousand and One Nights
Name:
Materials:
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
Curator
Justification:
Paris: F.L. Schmied, 1926
Binding: black and green morocco by Georges
Bretté (1893–1969), with one lacquered plate by
Jean Dunond (1877–1942)
Jean-Charles Mardrus (1868–1949) was born in
Cairo and is best known for his translation of the
Arabian Nights from Arabic to French. FrançoisLouis Schmied (1873–1941) and Jean Dunand
(1877–1942) worked together to illustrate the
volume translated by Mardrus, which is widely
regarded as the most beautifully illustrated and
eloquent French translations.
Working Number: PT 076
Histoire de la Princesse Boudour (Conte des
mille et une nuits), Translation by J.C. Mardrus
Holding Museum:
of The Story of the Princess Boudour: Tales of a
Date:
Thousand and One Nights
Name:
Materials:
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
Curator
Justification:
Paris: F.L. Schmied, 1926
Binding: black and green morocco by Georges
Bretté (1893–1969), with one lacquered plate by
Jean Dunond (1877–1942)
Jean-Charles Mardrus (1868–1949) was born in
Cairo and is best known for his translation of the
Arabian Nights from Arabic to French. FrançoisLouis Schmied (1873–1941) and Jean Dunand
(1877–1942) worked together to illustrate the
volume translated by Mardrus, which is widely
regarded as the most beautifully illustrated and
eloquent French translations.
Working Number: PT 076
Histoire de la Princesse Boudour (Conte des
mille et une nuits), Translation by J.C. Mardrus
Holding Museum:
of The Story of the Princess Boudour: Tales of a
Date:
Thousand and One Nights
Name:
Materials:
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
Curator
Justification:
Paris: F.L. Schmied, 1926
Binding: black and green morocco by Georges
Bretté (1893–1969), with one lacquered plate by
Jean Dunond (1877–1942)
Jean-Charles Mardrus (1868–1949) was born in
Cairo and is best known for his translation of the
Arabian Nights from Arabic to French. FrançoisLouis Schmied (1873–1941) and Jean Dunand
(1877–1942) worked together to illustrate the
volume translated by Mardrus, which is widely
regarded as the most beautifully illustrated and
eloquent French translations.