Among the roughly 170 pieces of Islamic art that Norma Jean Calderwood and her husband left to Harvard, one in particular hints at the late collector’s philosophy: an earthenware bowl bearing, in precise calligraphy, the epigram “Greed is a sign of poverty.” In Harmony: The Norma Jean Calderwood Collection of Islamic Art, which opens January 31st, 2013 at the Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, is both a celebration of Calderwood’s championship of once-obscure work and a showcase of the vibrancy of Iranian culture over time.

Read More: Pearls of Persian Art

See also: The Norma Jean Calderwood Collection of Islamic Art