Almost half of the items consist of works of applied art, dating from the second half of the 19th century to the present time. Most of them were created in such famous handicraft centers of the Silk Road as Samarkand, Bukhara, and the cities of the Fergana Valley – Kokand, Margilan and Rishtan. In addition, the museum collection includes items from other famous cities – Tashkent, Khiva, Shahrisabz and Nurata.
The collection features a wide range of objects of applied art and everyday use, especially textile work including traditional fabrics, clothing and embroidery. It also includes metalwork, such as vessels and jewelry, and, last but not least, ceramics and musical instruments. The collection is valuable because it documents the craftsmanship of Central Asia over a relatively long period of time – from the mid-19th century until the present time.
The collections from different historical periods show the area’s artistic development and changes in materials used, ornamentation and processing techniques.
You can learn more about the topic in the book-album "The Collection of the Czech Republic" (Volume XVI) in the series "Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan in the World Collections".
The main sponsor of the project is the oilfield services company Eriell-Group.
What items are represented in the Uzbek collection of the Naprstek Museum?
The Uzbek collection of artifacts forms a part of the Central Asian collection of the Náprstek Museum.