Qatar- Equine manuscript exhibition opens at Arabian horse festival

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Doha: Some 200 years ago, Polish nobleman Count Waclaw Seweryn Rzewuski fell in love with Bedouin culture when he journeyed thousands of miles to the Middle East to look for purebred Arabian horses to purchase.

During this expedition which brought him to Aleppo and the Arabian Peninsula, the oriental scholar fluent in Arabic language took keen interest on Bedouin life and traditions, admitted to 13 tribes and was given the title ‘emir'.

When he came back to Poland, the legendary Count wrote a manuscript which featured a detailed study of the Arabian horse. 'Manuscript Concerning the Horses of the Orient and Those Originating from Oriental Breeds contains more than 400 full-colour drawings, recording the culture and customs of Bedouins at the beginning of 19th century, including precise descriptions of the Arabian horse.

Highlights from the book published by Polish National Library and Qatar Museums are on display at an exhibition launched yesterday by Katara General Manager Prof. Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti and Polish Ambassador to Qatar H E Janusz Janke at the Cultural Village Foundation (Katara). 

The exhibition presented by Katara and the Polish Embassy is part of the Katara International Arabian Horse Festival which opened yesterday.

'We at the Embassy of Poland are very proud that through this exhibition we organized together with Katara we can contribute to this great event — Katara International Arabian Horse Festival, said Ambassador Janke at the opening of the exhibition yesterday. 

'All these manuscripts come from a scientific publication of the manuscript which was a joint project of Polish National Library and Qatar Museums. You are welcome to see how close our nations are in terms of love for horses, he added. Among the main features of the show are Rzewuski's coloured illustrations and detailed descriptions of Najdi Koheilans, high-caste Arabian horses, and their breeds.  

Rzewuski bought and brought a number of these fine horses to Poland laying the foundation for world famous Polish Arabian horse breeding.

Scenes from daily life of the Bedouins, their way of life, customs and traditions as well as places illustrated by the explorer are also on show at the exhibition, in addition to maps of Damascus, Mecca and Medina. 

In his meticulous attention to detail in depicting and labeling the Arabian horse's unique features, distinct attributes and precise dimensions, Rzewuski reveals his deep appreciation for the Arabian horse while in illustrating specific activities of the tribes and their members he expresses his genuine admiration for Bedouin culture.

The exhibition provides an added value to the festival with an interesting historical perspective on how various cultures appreciate the beauty, status and importance of purebred Arabian horses.

'Manuscript Concerning the Horses of the Orient and Those Originating from Oriental Breeds exhibition runs until February 6 at Gallery 2 of Katara Building 19.
 

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