id library: Moroccan Decorative Arts by Philippe Saharoff

Morocco’s traditional craftsmanship and artistry have fascinated arts enthusiasts around the world for generations, turning the country’s decorative treasures into an endless source of inspiration worthy of celebration. Without doubt, it is in Morocco, among all countries of the Maghreb, that the heritage of Arab-Andalusian civilization is best-preserved, most well understood and most widely shared. For more than three years, photographer Philippe Saharoff has explored all of Morocco to capture and pay tribute to the most exclusive collections of arts and crafts each city had to offer.

Moroccan Decorative Arts by Philippe Saharoff

Moroccan Decorative Arts by Philippe Saharoff in Slipcase angle shot

From the leather of Marrakech to the woodwork of Essaouira, this volume captures the extraordinary palette of colours and sensations visitors can discover in the country. Over more than three hundred pages, the arts of zellige, pottery, metal, jewellery or plaster are depicted at length, among other local crafts, ancestral traditions and decorative treasures that have been acclaimed for centuries. Featuring exclusive photographs of the collection of His Majesty the King Mohammed VI, Moroccan Decorative Arts is the ultimate compendium on Moroccan craftsmanship. Philippe Saharoff specializes in travel and lifestyle photography. He has spent his entire career traveling around the world discovering the best in design, arts, and crafts. A regular contributor for publication, he is an expert of Moroccan arts and a true connoisseur of the country, having reported on it at length over the last thirty years. He is the author of the reference volumes. Traditional Islamic Craft in Moroccan Architecture, as well as Paris and Its Lights, among others.

At the Royal Mansour in Marrakech, the wall and floor are decorated in zellige. Photography by Philippe Saharoff