It happened to me to visit a very interesting place recently. It is like a secret gem stone of historical Cairo. We did not plan to go there that day. My friend and I were planning to take children to the Child Museum but found it closed. So, my friend suggested going to Gayer-Anderson Museum.
I have to admit that historical places of Cairo have always attracted me by their walls. I can stand in front of a wall and study it for a long time. It is amazing how big stones are adjacent to each other without any binding material. These walls are standing there for centuries and hopefully will stand for centuries more.
Gayer- Anderson Museum is surrounded by such walls. It is attached to Ibn Tulun Mosque that is probably the oldest mosque in Cairo. Long time ago there was a narrow way between two buildings of Anderson’s house that led to the mosque. And for convenience of the passing people several cups with fresh water were places near one of the windows. Such small details give us a clear idea of what kind of people was living in this house: people who cared.
The house was built in 1632 by Hajj Mohammed Salem Galmam Algazzar. Gayer-Anderson started living in the house in 1935. He was a British military doctor and a person who were in love with Egypt and its culture. He was granted a permission to live in this house by Egyptian authorities.
Gayer-Anderson collected such an amazing collection of cultural objects and artifacts in the house that soon Egyptian government decided to make it a museum. These days we still can enjoy viewing all these historical objects that witnessed centuries of human life.
Gayer-Anderson was not only a doctor but also a good artist. The walls of his house are decorated with his paintings and sketches. He created portraits of his servants, and botanical and landscape paintings. He also collected Chinese style paintings that were popular at that time.
I was fascinated by the details of the house. Framed decorative tiles are on each floor, and furniture is decorated with Islamic geometrical patterns, door knobs, and metal plates. Enjoy viewing the photos. Feel free to use them as a reference for painting or drawing.
