Allegations of corruption against Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Thani shocked the art world, where he had made records as the market's biggest spender. In a sign that Qatar's former national art collector has been forgiven, the once ostracised Sheikh Saud was spotted in March buying several artworks at the European Fine Art Fair in Maastricht - a high-profile annual forum where such a major figure in the sales rooms of the past decade could not pass unnoticed.
Sheikh Saud was a much-loved (and favoured) cousin of Ruler SheikhHamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who was appointed to head the National Council for Culture, Arts and Heritage (NCCAH) in 2002; his job was to use Qatar's burgeoning financial resources to build up collections for the major new museums being planned for Doha. In a shock move in 2005 he was removed from the post and placed under house arrest for allegedly misappropriating some $400m of state funds. At the time there were whispers of a palace coup - observers pointed fingers at a powerful minister - and there have even been reports that his downfall was at the hands of a leading female figure.
Last October, a new NCCAH head was appointed, Sheikh Mishal Bin Jassim Bin Mohammed Al-Thani, who took over from the caretakerMohammed Kafoud.
In late April, specialist publication The Art Newspaper reported that at theNetherlands art fair Sheikh Saud had sported a distinctive "rock star" look, with tiny glasses, long gelled hair and a floor-length coat. It quoted a source saying that Sheikh Saud had been pardoned, and that some of his works of art have been returned to him. One leading art source told GSN that he had bumped into Saud at a recent public viewing of Islamic art at London auctioneer Christie's. "Suave and charming as ever, he was very friendly, looking older, grey, and without the 'sparkle' or 'charisma' that people saw in him before," the source said.
© Gulf States Newsletter 2007
