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From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art - Lectures
Virtual
National Museum of Asian Art
Join the Freer Research Center at the National Museum of Asian Art for two upcoming scholarly programs celebrating the forthcoming exhibition From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art (open September 26, 2026 – January 18, 2027). The programs are free and accessible online.
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Sneak Peek | An Exclusive Glimpse into From the Louvre
Tuesday, September 22, 12–12:45 p.m. EDT
Online
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From the Louvre: Opening Lecture with Souraya Noujaim
Saturday, October 3, 2–3:30 p.m. EDT
Hybrid (Meyer Auditorium and Livestreamed)
Register to Attend In-person
Register to Watch the Livestream
Full program descriptions are listed below. Questions may be directed to: FreerResearchCenter@si.edu
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Sneak Peek | An Exclusive Glimpse into From the Louvre
Tuesday, September 22, 12–12:45 p.m. EDT
Online
Get a preview of our upcoming exhibition From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art in this online talk with co-curator Simon Rettig. For this show, an exceptional selection of twenty-six objects from the most famous Parisian museum crosses the Atlantic Ocean all together for the first time. Among them are many celebrated artworks, such as the basin known as the “Baptistery of Saint Louis,” the so-called Lion of Monzón, the Iznik peacock plate, and one of the monumental portraits of Fath Ali Shah Qajar.
In this talk, Rettig offers an overview of From the Louvre and addresses the main themes explored in the exhibition, from the making of a masterpiece to the formation of the museum’s collections of Islamic art. Rettig also introduces the little-known relationship between the Freer and Louvre curator Gaston Migeon, which sparked a centurylong collaboration between the two institutions.
This program is part of the monthly lunchtime series Sneak Peek, where staff members and outside scholars share personal perspectives and new research related to the collections of the National Museum of Asian Art.
Simon Rettig is the Associate Curator for the Arts of the Islamic World at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. He curated several exhibitions, including The Prince and the Shah: Royal Portraits from Qajar Iran (2018) and An Epic of Kings: The Great Mongol Shahnama (2024). Rettig was also the co-curator of The Art of the Qur’an: Treasures from the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts (2016) with Massumeh Farhad, and in 2020 he served as the in-house curator in charge of the exhibition Age Old Cities: A Virtual Journey from Palmyra to Mosul. His most recent project is the digital exhibition Beyond Rumi: Sufi Art and Practice, which launched in June 2026.
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From the Louvre: Opening Lecture with Souraya Noujaim
Saturday, October 3, 2–3:30 p.m. EDT
Hybrid (In-person and Livestreamed)
Register to Attend In-person
Register to Watch the Livestream
The Musée du Louvre’s Islamic Art Department was established in 2003 and holds over 18,000 objects. In this talk, department director Souraya Noujaim presents some of the masterpieces that could not make the journey to Washington for the exhibition From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art. She shares their fascinating story and delves into their journey to the Louvre. Noujaim also focuses on individuals, curators, and donors who helped shape the collections through the present day. Following the lecture, she discusses the exhibition with co-curator Simon-Rettig.
This program is made possible with generous support from Villa Albertine.
Dr. Souraya Noujaim has been the Director of the Department of Islamic Arts at the Musée du Louvre in Paris since 2023. In this capacity, she is responsible for the museum’s curatorial strategy and the ongoing development of its collections, with a focus on engaging a broad and diverse audience. Dr. Noujaim holds a PhD in Islamic Art History and Archaeology, which underpins her extensive curatorial practice and research endeavors.
Prior to her role at the Louvre, she was instrumental in the foundational stages of Louvre Abu Dhabi as its first Scientific, Curatorial, and Collections Management Director. Her contributions included key involvement in launching initiatives such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi Art Here exhibition and the Richard Mille Art Prize, demonstrating her capacity for institutional development and innovative programming in the museum sector.