“Furusiyya”: A New Exhibition at The Louvre Abu Dhabi Exploring Chivalry Between East and West
Starting on the 19th of February and continuing through to May, the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s latest exhibition ‘Furusiyya: The Art of Chivalry between East and West’ is juxtaposing the knightly culture of the European West to that of the Middle East. The exhibition hosts around 130 artifacts, including swords, crossbows, helmets, medallions, and tapestries.
The exhibit is divided into three sections: horse riding, warfare, and the daily lives of knights, bringing in elements from both cultures.
Chivalry or ‘Furusiyya’ in Arabic, is a concept that was somewhat similar in both cultures. It is a warrior culture exclusive to males, with only few exceptions, wherein, from a very young age, boys learn to ride horses, sword fight, and other battle skills. These facets of chivalry flourished in the West throughout the French-English conflict known as ‘The Hundred Years War’, while the different conflicts between the struggling Islamic dynasties in our region.
So without further delay here are some snippets of the exhibition.
