Room 5 | Textiles gallery
Explore the beauty and variety of Eastern Art objects on display in the Textiles gallery.
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence (T.E. Lawrence, 1888-1935) was an undergraduate student at Jesus College, Oxford and then worked as an archaeologist in Syria. He joined the Military in 1914 and became renowned for his liaison role during the Arab Revolt of 1916–18. Seven Pillars of Wisdom is his account of the desert campaigns. He wrote most of it while he was a fellow at All Souls College. In the years after World War I ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ became a popular hero, a role he did not entirely approve of.
This outfit belonged to T.E. Lawrence and was probably worn by him while with the Arab army 1916-1918. He worked closely with Emir Faisal (later King Faisal of Iraq) during the Arab Revolt (1916-1918), and, on his suggestion, adopted Arab dress.
"I was...[fitted out]…in splendid white silk and golden-embroidered wedding garments which had been sent to Faisal lately (was it a hint?) by his great-aunt in Mecca."
(T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom Ch.XX)
Arab robe worn by T. E. Lawrence (EA1965.176)
The robe belonged to Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence (T.E. Lawrence, 1888-1935). Lawrence was an undergraduate student at Jesus College, Oxford and then worked as an archaeologist in Syria. He joined the Military in 1914 and became renowned for his liaison role during the Arab Revolt of 1916–18. Seven Pillars of Wisdom is his account of the desert campaigns. He wrote most of it while he was a fellow at All Souls College. In the years after World War I ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ became a popular hero, a role he did not entirely approve of.
Notice
Objects may have since been removed or replaced from a gallery. Click into an individual object record to confirm whether or not an object is currently on display. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis, so contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular Eastern Art object.
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