Sheikh Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al Thani (born in 1960 in Doha)[1][2] A prominent member of the Qatari royal family and the grandson of the former King of Qatar is a Qatari artist, collector, researcher, and educator in the field of modern art from the Arab world, India, and Asia. His multi-billion dollar art collection is one of the most valuable and extensive in the Middle East. He is Vice Chairperson of Qatar Museums Authority,[3][4] Advisor for Cultural Affairs at Qatar Foundation[5] and founder of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.[6]
| Dr. Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al Thani | |
|---|---|
 Dr. Al Thani in a conference | |
| Born | 1960 Doha, Qatar |
| Spouse | Al Anoud bint Khalid al Thani |
| Issue | Muhammad, Hamad, Moza, Maryam, Noor, Rawda, Al Jazi, Sara |
| Arabic | الشیخ الدکتر حسن بن محمد بن علی آلثانی |
| House | |
| Father | Sheikh Mohammed bin Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani |
| Mother | Sheikha Moza Al Thani |
| Religion | Islam |
| Occupation | Artist, Statesman |
In 2013, he was elected Chair of the International Council of Museums Arab Countries Alliance (ICOM-ARAB).[4]
Family
editHe is the son of Sheikh Muhammad bin Ali Al Thani and grandson of the former ruler of Qatar, the Emir Ali bin Abdulla Al Thani. He is married to Al-Anoud Khalid Al-Thani and is father of eight children.
Education
editSheik Hassan studied "Art of the 20th Century" in a course at Qatar University in the mid-1980s. At that time, there was little information about Arab modern art, and there was not one single institution dedicated to Arab modern art in the whole region of the Middle East and North Africa.[7] He then decided to build his own collection and expand his knowledge of Arab modern art by sponsoring and promoting Arab artists.[8]
Collection
editIn 1986, Sheikh Hassan started his own collection. The first artwork he bought was an upside-down pyramid by a Doha-born painter named Yousef Ahmad.[9] Twenty-six years on, his collection has grown to 6000 artworks worth billions of dollars, acquired mostly from Qatari, Lebanese, Egyptian, Syrian and Iraqi artists. Today, his collection covers all phases of modern art in the Middle East from the 1840s to the present.[7]
In 1994, Sheikh Hassan opened a private museum, and started helping and sponsoring artists from the region, especially Iraqis fleeing the Gulf War.[7] In 2004, he offered the entire collection to Qatar Foundation and in 2009, the collection was transferred to Qatar Museums Authority.[8]
Hassan Bin Mohammed Center for Historical Studies
editIn 1997, the Hassan Bin Mohammed Center for Historical Studies was established by Sheikh Hassan. The center provides academic support for historical research and related studies which pertain to the history of Qatar and Arabia.[10][11][12] The center's main area is the translation of documents, and in September 2024, it published the third volume of British documents preserved in the Indian Archives.[13][14]
Mathaf
editWhen he started his collection, Sheikh Hassan's initial plan was to create an institution that would look after his collection and exhibit it to scholars, students and art lovers.[9] In December 2010, his plan materialized with the opening of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the first museum in the region dedicated to Arab modern art. The museum now hosts the full collection of Sheikh Hassan.[7] Hosted in a temporary building, a former school transformed into museum, Mathaf focuses in conservation, research and education around the collection.
Hereditary titles
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ Royal Bridges
- ^ Fundación Banco Santander
- ^ "H.E Sheikh Hassan Bin Mohammed Al-Thani". Archived from the original on 2012-07-01. Retrieved 2012-09-23.
- ^ a b "QMA vice-chairman elected new Chair of ICOM-ARAB". Gulf Times. 2013-09-17. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "What is Mathaf?". Archived from the original on 2011-10-07. Retrieved 2012-09-23.
- ^ "The Museum". Archived from the original on 2013-05-20. Retrieved 2012-09-23.
- ^ a b c d The Arab Modern
- ^ a b Qatar Opens First Museum of Modern Arab Art, a Q&A With Chief Curator
- ^ a b A Smithsonian in the sand
- ^ "HBMHC | The Qatari private sector is an authentic partner in the cultural renaissance". hbmhc.net. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Hassan Bin Mohammed Center for Historical Studies Releases Volume III of Delhi Documents". www.qna.org.qa. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Qatari Private Sector is an Authentic Partner in Cultural Renaissance". Qatar Tribune. 2022-08-08. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Hassan Bin Mohammed Center for Historical Studies Releases Volume III of Delhi Documents". www.qna.org.qa. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Hassan Bin Mohammed Center for Historical Studies releases third volume of Delhi documents". thepeninsulaqatar.com. 2024-09-02. Retrieved 2024-10-16.