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villa museum mogadorBoutique Museum Residence · Essaouira

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The Collections

The inhabited museum

Here the collections are not kept behind glass.

They are walked through.

Photographs, old postcards, woodwork, ceramics, zellige, everyday objects, pieces of craftsmanship and fragments of memory sit quite naturally within the daily life of the house.

Some pieces were handed down. Others were hunted out, sought, discovered or rescued.

Every object has a history, a life. Whether they call up distant memories, like Proust's madeleines, or are discovered here for the first time, each piece stirs something.

Together they form less an inventory than an intimate portrait of Morocco and of elsewhere, through the eye of Rachid Haloui.

The corridor of memories — antique Moroccan postcards and a carved Berber door — The corridor of memories — antique Moroccan postcards and a carved Berber door — © Rachid Haloui

The gaze behind the grille — antique wrought iron mounted on a photographic portrait — The gaze behind the grille — antique wrought iron mounted on a photographic portrait — © Rachid Haloui

In the mirror, the antique Qur'anic boards — In the mirror, the antique Qur'anic boards — © Rachid Haloui

Sepia, wash and watercolour — a wall that crosses Morocco — Sepia, wash and watercolour — a wall that crosses Morocco — © Rachid Haloui

The water carrier, keeper of the staircase — The water carrier, keeper of the staircase — © Rachid Haloui

The spelter bestiary and the lioness clock — The spelter bestiary and the lioness clock — © Rachid Haloui

Flour, salt, tea, pepper — the antique spice jars — Flour, salt, tea, pepper — the antique spice jars — © Rachid Haloui

The collection of antique images of Morocco — The collection of antique images of Morocco — © Rachid Haloui

Handwork — Hispano-Moorish marquetry and chiselled bronze — Handwork — Hispano-Moorish marquetry and chiselled bronze — © Rachid Haloui

The rosette of thuya and mother-of-pearl — master craftsman's marquetry — The rosette of thuya and mother-of-pearl — master craftsman's marquetry — © Rachid Haloui

Carved mashrabiya in pale wood — Carved mashrabiya in pale wood — © Rachid Haloui

The city in blue — painting — The city in blue — painting — © Rachid Haloui

Red wool — the Berber rug — Red wool — the Berber rug — © Rachid Haloui

The gallery salon — photographs and antique watercolours — The gallery salon — photographs and antique watercolours — © Rachid Haloui

Each work will be presented in turn, with its provenance and its history.