Caroline Muniz ‘23

Features Editor

The Cantor Art Gallery currently holds an exhibition in which one is transported into medieval England. The exhibition titled, “Bringing the Holy Land Home: The Crusades, Chertsey Abbey, and the Reconstruction of a Medieval Masterpiece” was created around the Chertsey combat tiles, which were created in 1250 for the Chertsey Abbey. It includes a collection of loans from various museums and institutions, including the British Museum. It was curated by Dr. Amanda Luster, assistant professor of art history. The last day that this exhibition is open is April 6th, 2023 and it is truly a must-see experience for those who wish to see the beautiful ways in which art intertwines with this unique time in history. 

The Chertsey tiles include detailed visuals that depict a time when the Holy Land was occupied by crusader kingdoms, thus making them historical relics. Although many of the tiles are broken and fragmented, many have been preserved and new technologies are being utilized to further study them and other historic pieces from this time period. These fragments are able to tell various stories about the Crusaders as well as the experiences that people had during this particular time. 

One particularly unique aspect of this exhibition was the contribution of Holy Cross students. Many students were able to help create labels that describe each piece in detail. They were also able to create a website that included various resources to further explore this particular subject, such as different videos. 

When one first enters the gallery, it is as though you are transported into a completely different time period. Whereas the last exhibition focused more on modern art, this one highlights various aspects of life during this particular period. The color scheme includes various yellows and reds, which complement each other to create a specific aesthetic that embodies its Byzantine and Islamic inspirations at the time. The exhibition also extends itself to show various relics from this point in history such as coins, swords, dishes, and even clothing from this time period. In the center of the room, there is a display that includes a variety of painted dishes that are vibrant shades of green and red. There are also many different small statues and physical artifacts that exemplify the artistic style of the time period and the ways in which it was implemented into every small thing that the Crusaders created. 

The history of the crusaders greatly influenced both politics as well as a social discourse that impacts us today, which is portrayed within the halls of this exhibit.