Iznik tile, 16th to 17th century, Syria or Turkey. Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of ArtWhen Hamid Hemat accepted a curatorial post at Connecticuts Wadsworth Atheneum in 2022, the refugee from Kabul, Afghanistan, was surprised by what he found. The Wadsworth is the oldest public art museum in the United States, home to a trove of European and American paintings. But it also holds one of the worlds best collections of Islamic art. Im traveling 7,000 miles from my home country, and I came here and found this amazing collection, says Hemat, who has spent the past two years studying the Wadsworths delicate miniatures, medieval Qurans and ornate glassware from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia for a show, Divine Geometry, that runs through April 13, 2025. Although donated by American art patrons in the early 20th century, some of these works have never been exhibited before, let alone together. Theres many things going on in Islamic art, and each place has their own culture, their own language, their own style, says Hemat, who hopes the show will spark a dialogue between different human civilizations. This miniature depicting figures from Persian mythology was painted on ivory, likely with a brush made from a single cats hair, in 18th or 19th-century Iran. Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of ArtUnderglaze-painted tile, late 19th century, Iran. Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of ArtNastaliq Calligraphy of Shah Mahmud Nishapuri, 16th century, Nishapur, Iran. Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of ArtSubscribe to Smithsonian magazine now for just $19.99This article is a selection from the December 2024 issue of Smithsonian magazineGet the latest Travel & Culture stories in your inbox.Filed Under: Africa, Art History, Exhibitions, Islam, Middle East , New England, South Asia