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Collection Guide

Collection Guide

French; St. Christopher, last quarter 15th century; limestone; 31 x 27 x 15 in.; Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum Purchase 3:1934

Global Connections, 500–1500

This audio guide demonstrates the interconnectivity of artistic traditions across the globe over a span of 1,000 years. During the Middle Ages in Europe, the shift of political, religious, and trade networks resulted in greater access to materials, techniques, and opportunities for exchange.

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    AUDIO GUIDE TRANSCRIPT

    The transcript for each audio track is available in expandable sections of individual object pages.

Museum Floorplan

Introduction

Gallery 237

  • Speaker 
     
    Maggie Crosland 
    Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellow in Late Medieval European Art 
    Saint Louis Art Museum 

    Welcome to Global Connections, 500—1500. My name is Maggie Crosland, and I am the former Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellow in Late Medieval European Art at the Saint Louis Art Museum.

    This installation explores connections in global artistic production in the period between 500 and 1500 AD. The artworks in this gallery all come from the Museum’s collection but were made in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. This period goes by many names—the Middle Ages in Europe, the postclassic period in Mesoamerica, the Imperial Age in China, just to name a few. It was also marked by increased trade and access to materials, knowledge, and techniques that had a profound impact on artistic production all over the world.

    As you explore this gallery, you will notice that some of the connections are visible in the artworks themselves. Persian potters developed ways to mimic the white color of Chinese porcelain, and Chinese artists translated Persian metalwork forms into ceramics. Other connections, like the use of luxury materials to decorate the body in the form of jewelry, speak to shared human experiences, whether in present-day Mexico or Korea.

    I hope you will enjoy Global Connections and will search out more connections between the artworks on view throughout the Museum.

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