The Battle of Arsuf 

"The Battle of Arsuf" is an engraving by Gustave Dore, placing us amidst the intensity of a 12th-century clash between Saladin's forces and the Crusaders. Dore, working in 19th-century France, tapped into a long-standing European fascination with the Crusades, framing it through a lens that emphasized dramatic action. But who gets to tell this story, and whose perspectives are centered? Dore’s composition teems with bodies, locked in combat, a chaos of limbs and weaponry rendered in stark black and white. What is it like to be on the losing side of this battle? As you observe the detail, consider how Dore's artistic choices—the dynamic composition, the use of light and shadow—shape our understanding of this historical event. It serves as a reminder to critically examine the narratives we inherit and to seek out the diverse voices often missing from the dominant accounts of history.