Collecting practices of the Al-Thani Family

Key figures Members of the Al Thani family have been central to Qatar’s involvement in art collecting and museum development. • Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al Thani owns one of the largest collections of modern Arab art, numbering over 6,000 works. • Saud bin Muhammed Al Thani assembled a major collection of Islamic manuscripts, carpets, instruments, and jewelry, contributing to the creation of the Museum of Islamic Art and other national collections. According to market analysts, the country often paid premium prices for high-profile artworks, positioning Doha as a regional art hub. Large financial resources The royal family and Qatar's cultural institution are subscribed to the databank on art prices and indices Artprice Group. A study conducted by Artprice and Organ Museum Research over the period 2000–2012 revealed that Qatar bid for artworks with a margin of 40 to 45% above "market prices". Forbes estimates that the annual budget for the sole Qatar Museum Authority is about $250 million. The chief executive of the Fine Art Fund Group, an art investment management and consulting firm based in London, estimates that Qatari buyers make up 25% of the Middle East's $11 billion art market. == Al-Thani's art collection: overview ==

The Al Thani family’s collections encompass traditional Islamic art, Western modern art, and Arab contemporary art. Islamic and antique collections The family’s holdings include Islamic manuscripts, textiles, scientific instruments, and decorative objects from across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. Notable items include a complete edition of John James Audubon’s Birds of America and examples of Persian miniatures and Mughal jewelry. Western art The Al Thani collection includes modern and contemporary works by artists such as Mark Rothko, Francis Bacon, Jeff Koons, and Damien Hirst. The exhibition for the opening of Mathaf in December 2010 featured art pieces by several Arab artists, including French artists of Algerian origin Kader Attia and Zineb Sedira, Iraqi Adel Abidin, Palestinian Khalil Rabah, Moroccans Farid Belkahia and Mounir Fatmi, Egyptians Ahmed Nouar and Ghada Amer, and Lebanese Walid Raad. Photography In 2000, Saud Al-Thani notably bought 136 vintage photographs, including pieces by Alfred Stieglitz and Man Ray, and a black and white photograph by Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey in 2003 for £565,250, which set a new world record at the time. == Al-Thani's collection displayed: museums and exhibitions ==

Qatar has constructed several museums and sponsored exhibitions to house and display his collections of work. This development is part of Qatar's strategy to become more recognized culturally. Museums , designed by I.M. Pei Qatar Museums Authority Established in 2005, the Qatar Museums Authority coordinates the country’s museum projects and cultural programs. According to The Economist, the agency plays a key role in shaping national cultural policy while remaining closely connected to the royal family’s initiatives. An adjoining public space, MIA Park, opened in 2011 and includes Richard Serra’s sculpture 7. Mathaf Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art opened in December 2010. The museum focuses on modern and contemporary Arab art and aims to increase the visibility of regional artists. Its founder, Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al Thani, described it as a way to preserve and display Arab artistic heritage. National Museum of Qatar The National Museum of Qatar opened in 2019, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel. It presents the natural and cultural history of the country, from prehistoric times to the present. The museum features an array of archaeological and heritage objects, manuscripts, documents, photographs and jewelry. Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Museum Founded in 1998 by Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum houses more than 15,000 artifacts representing Qatari heritage and international history. Exhibitions and events In addition to building museums, the Al Thani family and Qatar Museums have sponsored international and regional exhibitions, including: • Murakami-Ego (2012), by Takashi Murakami, presented in Doha as part of the Qatar–Japan 2012 cultural exchange. • Conscious and Unconscious (2012), a retrospective of Louise Bourgeois organized by Qatar Museums Authority. • The Al Thani Award for Photography, established in 2001, which expanded from a local event to an international photography competition by 2006. == See also ==