The image archive DAS BILD DES ORIENTS was founded in 2004 by Joachim Gierlichs, specialist in Islamic Art History (PhD) with many years of teaching experience (Free University, Berlin, University of Halle/ Saale, and Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar, Doha) and project, museum and library activities in Berlin, London and Doha, Qatar. From September 2013 to October 2016 Joachim Gierlichs was Director of Special Collections and Archives of the Qatar National Library, responsible for the development of the historical collections and archives.
As independent scholar, curator and consultant for museum- and exhibition planning, he worked from Sept. 2020 until Sept. 2023 as Curatorial and Collections Consultant at Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
See profile on LinkedIn and academia.edu
Numerous trips to the countries of the (Islamic) Orient since 1980 resulted in extensive photographic material, which was substantially extended by various slide and photo legacies (Katharina Otto-Dorn, Erich Holm von Prosch, Eva Hoeck, etc.).
Monographs and edited titles by Joachim Gierlichs
Roads of Arabia: Archäologische Schätze aus Saudi-Arabien. Hrsg.: Museum für Islamische Kunst der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin, Ute Franke, Joachim Gierlichs. Texte: P. Drechsler, R. Eichmann, B. Finster u.v.a., 308 Seiten mit 387 Abbildungen in Farbe. Ernst Wasmuth Verlag, Tübingen 2012 (Format 20,5 x 27 cm. Hardcover)
Focus on 50 – Unseen treasures from the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. With an introduction by Joachim Gierlichs. Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing, Doha 2010
CRIMEA, CAUCASUS AND THE VOLGA-URAL REGION: ISLAMIC ART AND ARCHITECTURE IN THE EUROPEAN PERIPHERY (ed. by Barbara Kellner-Heinkele, Joachim Gierlichs, Brigitte Heuer). Wiesbaden (Harrassowitz) 2009
ToC
Al-Andalus und Europa. Zwischen Orient und Okzident. Hrsg. von M. Müller-Wiener, Ch. Kothe, K.-H. Golzio, J. Gierlichs. Michael Imhof Verlag, Petersberg 2004 Out of print, see Antiquarian Books
Islamische Kunst in Deutschland. Hrsg. J. Gierlichs und A. Hagedorn. Philipp von Zabern Verlag, Mainz 2004 Out of print, see Antiquarian Books ToC
Mittelalterliche Tierreliefs in Anatolien und Nordmesopotamien. Untersuchungen zur figürlichen Baudekoration der Seldschuken, Artuqiden und ihrer Nachfolger bis ins 15. Jahrhundert, Istanbuler Forschungen 42. Tübingen 1996 [zugleich Diss. Phil. Fak. Heidelberg, 1991]. Out of print, see Antiquarian Books
Drache - Phönix - Doppeladler. Fabelwesen in der islamischen Kunst. Bilderhefte der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin, Heft 75/76. Berlin (Gebr. Mann) 1993 Out of print, see Antiquarian Books
A detailed, up-to-date publication list with all published books, articles and reviews is available here.