Pen Box Full Size
1 media/PEN_BOX_thumb.jpeg 2022-11-02T12:50:50-07:00 Gabriella Moscardelli 0066a2df86121a2798af64cc7ad9fcaa0b0382c4 39447 4 Pen Box, made in Amalfi, Italy, late 11th–early 12th century, ivory and bronze, H. 2 9/16 in. (6.5 cm) L. 9 3/4 in. (24.8 cm) D. 2 9/16 in. (6.5 cm), New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 17.190.236, © The Metropolitan Museum of Art. plain 2022-11-07T12:19:00-08:00 Gabriella Moscardelli 0066a2df86121a2798af64cc7ad9fcaa0b0382c4This page is referenced by:
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Pen Box (MET 17.190.236)
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By Gabriella Moscardelli '24
Elephant ivory, one of the most precious medieval materials, was imported to Europe from Africa and sometimes from India. Both rare and able to hold intricate, carved details, it was a valued medium among Christian and Muslim craftsmen across the Mediterranean. The softness and fine grain of ivory enabled the carving of detailed animal iconography including the African gazelles, lions, boars, and cranes.
This pen box was made in Amalfi, Italy, for a son of the Christian Mansone family, a ducal power in the eleventh century. The Latin inscription, “Taurus filius Mansonis” (Taurus, the son of Manson), records the name of its owner. Christians and Muslims alike exalted the written word, and this elegant box housed pens and other writing tools, demonstrating dedication to writing, education, and status. -
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Where did this go?
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The patrons of ivory objects such as this pen box included powerful rulers like Muslim caliphs, Latin or Byzantine emperors, European monarchs, and high-ranking ecclesiastics and noblemen, all of whom took advantage of the ivory supply being imported from Africa. As we know, this box was originally owned by a powerful ducal family in Italy. The earliest recorded history following the Mansone family is Baron Albert Oppenheim, who owned the pen box in 1900. The object was then purchased by J.P. Morgan's estate from 1906-13, and subsequently gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1917.
Despite the gaps in our knowledge of its history, this pen box was treasured by many different individuals over its long years of existence.
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What does this tell us about the Crusades?
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As a whole, the Crusades helped to eliminate the cultural divides between African, Byzantine, and Islamic art. This ivory pen box is one of the countless items created during the Crusades which revolutionized the way in which art was produced and designed. This period has historically been characterized as a "clash of religions", only consisting of war and violence. However, through further analysis, the true complexities of the Crusades become more apparent, and the viewer is forced to consider the artwork and exchange that could have only been pursued by a synthesis of cultures.
The designs carved into the ivory evoke a sense of intricacy and delicacy in order to emphasize the importance of the written word. This pen box re-affirms notions of cultural exchange that were forged by the Crusades and the importance of African goods and their function. It represents a synthesis of a variety of cultures on one singular object.
Objects like this pen box serve as a cause for reflection: How did the assimilation of religious and artistic cultures impact not only the Crusades, but the art that we encounter today?
