Nūr: Light in the Art and Science of the Islamic World

Nūr: Light in the Art and Science of the Islamic World explores the use and significance of light in Islamic art and science, and demonstrates how light constitutes a unifying motif in Islamic civilizations worldwide.

Taking its name from the Arabic word for light, Nūr presents two main sections. One is dedicated to art, and includes illuminated manuscripts with gold and colored pigments, luster ceramics, metalwork inlaid with silver and gold, as well as pieces made of precious and semiprecious stones. The other focuses on the scientific field and features equatorial sundials, astrolabes, and anatomical instruments, illustrative of the influence of the Islamic world on scientific thought.

At the same time, Nūr highlights how Spain has historically served as a cultural bridge between the Islamic world and Europe, and its position as a gateway to Islamic discoveries in fields such as medicine, geometry, and astronomy.