12022-06-16T12:39:20-07:00Brooke Hendershottb0a907cd0f989ee79e94592378a1545647719cfb394473plain2022-11-16T11:19:01-08:00Gabriella Moscardelli0066a2df86121a2798af64cc7ad9fcaa0b0382c4As 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?