Burka Collection

ALGERIA: STREET SCENE, c1899. Street of the Red Sea in Algiers. Photochrome postcard, c1899

Proclamation, Baghdad, 1917. Creator: Bain News Service
Proclamation, Baghdad, 1917. A crowd of men and women in Baghdad, Iraq, after the conquering of the city by the British Army in March 1917 during World War I.

Middle East Costumes, Egypt, May 14, 1878. Creator: Lockwood de Forest
Middle East Costumes, Egypt, May 14, 1878

Traveling Tartar Family, Near Yalta, Crimea, August 15, 1837, 1840. Creator: Auguste Raffet
Traveling Tartar Family, Near Yalta, Crimea, August 15, 1837, 1840

Tartar Women at the Baïdar, Crimea, August 26, 1837, 1842. Creator: Auguste Raffet
Tartar Women at the Baidar, Crimea, August 26, 1837, 1842

"A Departure from Palmyra", by Carl Haag, in the exhibition of the Society of Painters... 1862
"A Departure from Palmyra", by Carl Haag, in the exhibition of the Society of Painters in Water Colours, 1862. We have rarely seen a drawing so small as that we have engraved so full of

Woman wearing a black Islamic burqa, Bariali, Gazipur, Bangladesh, Asia

Muslim woman in black burka or niqab - Istanbul, Turkey
Profile portrait of muslim woman in black burka or niqab. Only her eyes can be seen. Istanbul, Turkey Date: circa 1980

A Young Fellah Girl, 1876 (oil on canvas)
615711 A Young Fellah Girl, 1876 (oil on canvas) by Bouguereau, William-Adolphe (1825-1905); 162.9x80 cm; Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; French, out of copyright

An Egyptian Family, c. 1878 (b / w photo)
EDI187993 An Egyptian Family, c.1878 (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK; English, out of copyright

Ancient and Modern, from The Light Side of Egypt, 1908 (colour litho)
STC361035 Ancient and Modern, from The Light Side of Egypt, 1908 (colour litho) by Thackeray, Lance (fl.1901 d.1916); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; British, out of copyright

Women of Latakia, from La Syrie d aujourd hui
GDG345710 Women of Latakia, from La Syrie d aujourd hui. Voyages dans la Phenicie, le Liban et la Judee. 1875-1880 of Louis Charles Emile Lortet, 1884 (b/w engraving) by French School

A Financial Question, from The Light Side of Egypt, 1908 (colour litho)
STC361036 A Financial Question, from The Light Side of Egypt, 1908 (colour litho) by Thackeray, Lance (fl.1901 d.1916); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; British, out of copyright

Rich woman and woman of the people, Cairo, Egypt, 19th century
6339053 Rich woman and woman of the people, Cairo, Egypt, 19th century by Belgian School, (19th century); (add.info.: Rich woman and woman of the people, Cairo, Egypt, 19th century)

Harem Life in Turkey, IV, Fashions Past and Present (engraving)
1053781 Harem Life in Turkey, IV, Fashions Past and Present (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Harem Life in Turkey, IV, Fashions Past and Present)

"My watch? A family watch!", from Around the World in Eighty Days
3501772 " My watch? A family watch!", from Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne (1828-1905), engraved by Louis Dumont (b.1822), 1873 (engraving) by Neuville

A Muslim Wedding, 1941 (colour litho)
473319 A Muslim Wedding, 1941 (colour litho) by European School; Private Collection; (add.info.: from a series of illustrations of Wedding Customs around the world; produced for Liebig as promotional)

Egyptian family eating a meal, c. 1880 (b / w photo)
EDI187998 Egyptian family eating a meal, c.1880 (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK; English, out of copyright

Middle Eastern women buying material (colour photo)
3096537 Middle Eastern women buying material (colour photo) by Fabbi, Antonio (1858-1906); Private Collection; (add.info.: Middle Eastern women buying material)

Young woman wearing chador, ca 1844-1850. Creator: Anonymous
Young woman wearing chador, ca 1844-1850. Private Collection

Kabul Types, 1840s, (1901). Creator: James Atkinson
Kabul Types, 1840s, (1901). Portraits of people in the capital of Afghanistan: a woman donning a burqa before going out (top left), An Afghan Sirdar, (a term denoting a prince or noblemen)

From Algiers Harbor. Private Collection

On the Street of Cairo, 1873. Artist: Makovsky, Konstantin Yegorovich (1839-1915)
On the Street of Cairo, 1873. Found in the collection of the Regional I. Kramskoi Art Museum, Voronezh

The Liberation of Muslim Women. Burning the Veil, 1928. Artist: Kravchenko, Alexei Ilyich (1889-1940)
The Liberation of Muslim Women. Burning the Veil, 1928. From a private collection

Street sale in Central Asia, 1902. Artist: Sommer, Richard Karl (1866-1939)
Street sale in Central Asia, 1902. From a private collection

Bazaar in Constantinople. Artist: Khlebovsky, Stanislav (1835-1884)
Bazaar in Constantinople. From a private collection

The Silk Bazaar. Artist: Preziosi, Amedeo (1816-1882)
The Silk Bazaar. Found in the collection of the Pera Museum, Istanbul

The Grand Bazaar. Artist: Preziosi, Amedeo (1816-1882)
The Grand Bazaar. Found in the collection of the Pera Museum, Istanbul

Bazaar, 1914. Artist: Macke, August (1887-1914)
Bazaar, 1914. From a private collection

The Street, Second Half of the 19th cen Artist: Brest, Germain Fabius (1823-1900)
The Street, Second Half of the 19th cen.. Found in the collection of the Pera Museum, Istanbul

Arabic Greeting - Egypt - As-salamu alaykum
As-salamu alaykum - an Arabic greeting often used by Muslims around the world. Translates as Peace be upon you. Here, a Woman (wearing a veil and an Egyptian Brass Arousa el Burka)

Coronation of Prince Faisal as King of Syria
Damascus, Syria - celebrations on the occasion of the coronation of Prince Faisal as King of Syria - a rein that only lasted 4 months! Date: 1920

Young Woman from Muscat, Oman Date: circa 1910s

Iran, Shiraz. Women praying

Shibam, Wadi Hadhramawt, Yemen

Muslim women in Town Costume fully covered - Syria. Date: circa 1905

Two Egyptian Arab Women, the lady on the right is blind. Date: circa 1910s

IRAQ: FRUIT VENDOR, c1932. A pomegranate vendor at a market in Mosul, Iraq. Photograph, c1932

IRAQ: KADIMAIN, c1932. Street in Kadimain, Iraq. Photograph, c1932

JERUSALEM: STREET. A busy street in Jerusalem. Photograph, early 20th century

IRAQ: BAGHDAD, 1932. Street scene in Baghdad, 1932

Illustration of woman in burka

The Persian Pavilion at the Universal Exhibition of 1900, Paris, illustration
XIR267165 The Persian Pavilion at the Universal Exhibition of 1900, Paris, illustration from Le Petit Journal, 17th June 1900 (colour litho) by French School

Turkish Woman (lithograph)
BAL109998 Turkish Woman (lithograph) by White, John (fl.1570-93) (after); 22.2x15.3 cm; Private Collection; English, out of copyright

ALGIERS: EMBROIDERY, c1899. Algerian girls learning embroidery from native and European women, in a courtyard at the Luce Ben-Aben workshop in Algiers. Photochrome, c1899

CAIRO: WOMAN. A portrait of an Egyptian woman wearing a burka, Cairo, Egypt. Photograph, mid or late 19th century

TURKISH HAREM, c1909. Veiled women leaving the harem at Adana, Asiatic Turkey, c1909

NABI MUSA FESTIVAL, 1920. Palestinian Muslims celebrating Nabi Musa pilgrimage from Jerusalem to the Tomb of Moses near Jericho. Photograph, 1920

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The burka, a traditional Islamic garment worn by women, has been an integral part of various cultures throughout history. From the bustling streets of Algiers in 1899 to the serene Shrine of Hazrat Ali, this captivating attire has left its mark on different corners of the world. In Bariali, Gazipur, Bangladesh, a woman dons a black Islamic burqa with grace and dignity. The fabric envelops her body, symbolizing modesty and religious devotion. Similarly, in Istanbul's vibrant streets or Abu Dhabi's majestic Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Muslim women proudly wear their black burkas or niqabs as an expression of their faith. Even centuries ago in Egypt, the burka played a significant role in society. At funeral ceremonies in Cairo or within Egyptian families captured through oil paintings and black-and-white photographs from the late 19th century, one can witness how this garment was deeply intertwined with cultural traditions. Traveling back further in time to ancient Egypt reveals fascinating glimpses into its evolution. As depicted in colorful lithographs from "The Light Side of Egypt" publication or illustrations from "La Syrie d'aujourd'hui, " we see how the burka has endured over generations while adapting to changing times. Beyond its historical significance lies another aspect: social dynamics. In Cairo during the 19th century, stark contrasts between rich and ordinary citizens were evident even when it came to wearing the burka. A wealthy woman would adorn herself differently than a woman belonging to lower socioeconomic strata – yet both embraced this timeless garment as part of their identity. Through these diverse snapshots across time and space emerges a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of the burka, and is not merely an article of clothing but rather an emblem that reflects religious devotion, cultural heritage, societal norms - all intricately woven together into one powerful symbol that continues to captivate our imagination today.