An exhibition "Magic Shamail" which presents works from the collections of the State Museum of History of Religion (St. Petersburg) and Derbent Museum of History of World Cultures and Religions has opened in Dagognin Museum of History and Folklore.

Shamail is a peculiar phenomenon of Muslim culture and a kind of fine art that dates back to the 18th century. Usually, it is a painting depicting Muslim shrines, places of pilgrimage, with edifying calligraphic inscriptions or artistic inscriptions with the name of Allah or a quotation from the Koran, painted with oil colors on the back of glass and illuminated with foil.

The exhibition presents shamaili made in the technique of lithography and chromolithography, as well as a series of works by Jamal Azhigirey.

The deputy director of the Museum of the History of World Cultures and Religions, Ekaterina Muradova, told about the secrets of making shamaili, their varieties and peculiarities, as well as about the symbolism of the color scheme. The member of the Public Chamber Suleiman Fataliev shared his impressions of the presented works. He noted that the exhibition inspires love for fine arts and calligraphy and expressed his gratitude for its organization.