Displaying Islamic and Christian items of the Medieval Chivalric world, the upcoming exhibition Furusiyya: The Art of Chivalry between East and West (19 February – 30 May 2020) at the Louvre Abu Dhabi is not to be missed. Among the 130 artefacts on show, including armour and weapons used in combat, is a manuscript sold by Dr. Jörn Günther Rare Books to the Musée de Cluny in 2008.
With 358 pen-and-ink drawings of fighting, fencing and wrestling men, this manuscript, a fencing treatise from around 1490 (Augsburg), is a fascinating exploration of near-impossible physical positions, and the use of light and shading on the figures adds life to their movements. The inclusion of this work in the Furusiyya exhibition, forging connections across world history, is a recognition of its value as a symbol of Westen chivalric culture.
