Doors of the Kingdom [Hardcover]

Khaled Azzam (Author), Mohamed Zakariya (Illustrator), Haajar Gouverneur (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 31, 1999

The Messenger of God said, "Whenever the door of supplicatory prayer du'a is opened unto any of ye, the doors of Mercy too shall be opened unto him."--Qur'an

Doors of the Kingdom is a unique collection of photographs depicting the ancient and disappearing craft of doormaking in Arabia. The Islamic concept of hurma, or sanctity of a place of dwelling or worship, is recurrent throughout Arabic poetry and literature. The door (bab), preserver of sanctity, becomes symbolic of the boundary between public and private space, and between the profane and the sacred.

In 1995, Haajar Gouverneur traveled throughout the Arabian Peninsula photographing each region's distinctive doorways and the remaining artisans who make them. The doors of Arabia, painstakingly hand-carved from the wood of the Al-Athel trees, last in their exquisite variety for hundreds of years. This ancient craft, passed down from generation to generation in the central and northern regions of Saudi Arabia, is now nearly extinct. Modern materials, technology, and changing priorities threaten the continuity of the sacred and artisanal tradition of doormaking.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is itself a door, opening onto centuries of beautiful artisanry and, in the calligraphic renderings, the inner essence of a culture."--David Appelbaum, Editor of Parabola magazine

"I hope that this volume will establish worldwide appreciation for these beautiful, traditional doors of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."--Dr. Kieth Critchlow, author of Order in Space and Time Stands Still

About the Author

Haajar Gouverneur was sponsored by the Al Nahda Philanthropic Society to travel throughout Saudi Arabia to photograph traditional doors and gateways.

Mohamed Zakariya is an award-winning master calligrapher.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Aperture (January 31, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0893818178
• ISBN-13: 978-0893818173
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,287,506 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars first class work!, May 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Doors of the Kingdom (Hardcover)

I saw this book in its preparation stages before its ultimate publication. Many of the photographs provided inspiration for the marvellous exhibition on Saudi Arabian doors that was presented by the Al-Nahda foundation in Riyadh in 1995.

For anyone wanting to learn more about Saudi Arabia, this book provides a wonderful visual experience to the culture and history of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

3.0 out of 5 stars Of Mixed Quality and Limited Interest, November 14, 2004

By 

A. Ross (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Doors of the Kingdom (Hardcover)

Published in conjunction with an exhibit of traditional Saudi doors, this coffee-table book shows traditional doors that are actually still in use throughout the kingdom. A brief introductory essay outlines the differences in style and materials used for construction throughout the four regions of Saudi Arabia. And then it's on to the photographs, which, is has to be said, are somewhat of a disappointment. There are several magnificent doors shown, however in many cases the photographer seems to have had real problems with the natural lighting. Many of the photos are either washed out from being overexposed, or are murky, with details lost in shadows. It's a shame that the photos aren't more consistent, because when they are good, they are very good. Unfortunately, there are also a few instances where somewhere in the book's production, the negative has been flipped. In general though, the book's production is very nice, with rich, thick paper. Interspersed with the photographs is some beautiful calligraphy by the master Mohammed Zakariya. A brief afterword says all the usual things about traditional Islamic art and architecture. All in all, of mixed quality and of limited interest.