In 1912, he organized the first exhibition dedicated to Islamic book art with Henri Vever (1854–1952) at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, where they displayed rare books and many items from their own collections. The exhibition was followed in 1913 by the publication of its illustrated catalog, which not only presented miniatures but also bindings, calligraphy, colophons, paper, and illumination.
Marteau was interested in Persian art of illumination, calligraphy, and painting, and his collection included some exquisite specimens from Mawarannahr. Firstly, there is an album leaf with a specimen of calligraphy by Mir Ali, created in Bukhara, preserved in a muraqqa album that Marteau acquired from Parisian art dealers and is now kept in the BNF under the code Supplément persan 1955.
You can learn more about the topic in the book-album "Illustrated manuscripts from Mawarannahr in the collections of France" (Volume XXIX) in the series "The Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan".
The main sponsor of the project is the oilfield services company Eriell-Group.
