Louvre's Islamic Masterpieces Make US Debut at Smithsonian

For the first time ever, 26 masterpieces of Islamic art from the Louvre will be showcased in the United States. Titled "From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art," the exhibition will be held at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C., starting September 26 and continuing until January 18, 2027. Curators Simon Rettig and Souraya Noujaim have assembled items spanning from the Iberian Peninsula to the Indian subcontinent, including a baptismal font from the 14th century and a Mughal dagger from the 17th century. The exhibit examines the evolution of objects into masterpieces. Notably, the Baptistery is named after Louis IX, who passed away prior to its construction. The collaboration between the Louvre and the Smithsonian began with Charles Lang Freer's attendance at a Paris exhibition in 1903.