Customer Reviews

Doors of the Kingdom

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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.

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.