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Travel Blog: A Trip back in timePublished on Feb 26, 2008 by MichaelN |
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1. Chapter: Two historic sites |
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The Musée de Moyen Age / Thermes de Cluny is an excellent museum located in the heart of the Latin Quarter. Musée de Moyen Age means museum of the Middle Ages. Thermes de Cluny are the remains of Roman baths that existed centuries before the middle ages, when Paris was a Roman city called Lutetia. The Roman baths occupied the site around the 1st century. At the end of the 15th century, the Abbots of Cluny, in Burgundy, built a Hôtel Particulier (mansion) here, to serve as their residence while in Paris. The museum, housed in the former Hôtel Particulier, now contains one of the best collections of medieval art and artefacts in France, and it is free to the public.
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2. Chapter: The Museum |
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The former residence of the Abbots of Cluny became a museum when a collector named Alexandre Du Sommerard began to store some of his collection of medieval artefacts there. The building, as well as Du Sommerard’s collection, was acquired by the French state in 1843 after his death. The state also acquired the Thermes de Cluny, and combined both historic sites into one museum. Over the years a number of impressive acquisitions were made, so that today when you visit the museum you are able enjoy some of the finest examples of medieval art and architecture in the world. A visit to the museum is like taking a trip back in time.
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3. Chapter: Entering the museum |
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I visited the museum on a recent weekend. The first thing that you experience as you walk toward the museum entrance is the excavated site of the Roman baths. These are exposed to the open air, and show that this part of Paris is built on top of an earlier Roman city. After you pass the Roman baths, you reach the entrance to the museum. The architecture changes to medieval Gothic, as you enter the arched gateway. The museum is lodged in the old hotel of the Abbots of Cluny, which is U-shaped and built around a courtyard. I made my way over the ancient cobblestones of the courtyard, and entered the museum.
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4. Chapter: Stained glass |
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The first thing that you come to as you tour the museum is a large room filled with religious sculptures, followed by a room with samples of medieval textiles. Passing through these exhibits, you come to a room filled with a collection of stained glass, some of it dating back as far as the 12th century. This exhibit is truly impressive. All of the stained glass panels portray religious themes, since they were used by the church to explain stories from the bible and lives of the saints to people who could not read. The room is darkened and the stained glass is lit from behind, so that you get the impression of being in a cathedral.
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5. Chapter: The frigidarium |
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Leaving the stained glass display, you pass through a hallway which has a portal from Saint-Germain-des-Prés. On the other side of this portal is the collection of sculptures from Notre-Dame de Paris, which is unfortunately closed for renovation at this time (February 2008). Moving along the corridor, which is now lined with medieval tombstones, you reach the entrance to the frigidarium – the cold water Roman baths. This is a huge room with a high, vaulted ceiling, and the remains of the Roman baths. The ceiling reaches a height of 15 meters (almost 50 feet), and the ancient walls and columns are still intact.
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6. Chapter: Back to the Middle Ages |
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After viewing the Gallo-Roman frigidarium, you are ready to return to the Middle Ages. The next room contains an impressive collection of carved ivory figures and objects, and extremely rare wooden sculptures of Christ that were created in the Auvergne region in the 12th century. Passing through, you come to a collection of sculptures from Poissy, some columns from Catalonia, and finally enter the last room on the entry level of the museum. This room contains ancient chests, and medieval toys. You are now ready to climb the stairs to the first floor, and see the most remarkable of the museum’s collections.
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7. Chapter: The Lady and the Unicorn |
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Perhaps the most amazing and beautiful of the treasures to be found in the Musée de Moyen Age is the series of tapestries known as The Lady and the Unicorn. These consist of six tapestries discovered by French writer and preservationist Prosper Mérimée in the Chateau of Boussac. As you enter the darkened room where the tapestries are displayed, you are struck by the unity of theme. Each tapestry is laid out on a vermillion base, with a millefleurs, that is thousand flowers, background. Each tapestry features an aristocratic lady, flanked by the emblematic unicorn and lion, two beasts that are often seen in medieval heraldry.
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8. Chapter: The five senses plus one |
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The first five of the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries represent the five senses. Each tapestry illustrates a sense: smell, taste, hearing, seeing, touch. We see the lady on a small island of greenery, flanked by the iconic lion and unicorn. In the background are common animals found in the forests and fields: rabbits, foxes, and sheep to name a few; as well as exotic animals such as leopards and monkeys. There are also common trees, such as oaks and pines, and indigenous flowers. The whole assemblage is brought together by the theme of sense. The Lady is usually served by an attendant, and flags with three crescent moons are seen hanging from the trees.
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9. Chapter: A Sixth Sense? |
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The last of the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries is somewhat of an enigma. The Lady is shown putting some jewellery away in a box held by her attendant. She is standing in front of a tent with the inscription “To My Only Desire”. What is the meaning of this final tapestry? There has been speculation that this represents a sixth sense, either that of the intelligence or of the heart. Others have suggested that, in keeping with the inscription “To My Only Desire”, the tapestry represents Love. Whatever the meaning of this last tapestry, it is well worth lingering over, and appreciating the beauty of the colors and the images.
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2008-02-26 19:48:56
from milkmile
Interesting stories are hidden in these series of tapestries known as The Lady and the Unicorn, especially last one. I think the 6th sense in last tapestry is all senses combined in one and that is happening only when you have passionate sex. Or am I wrong? So I think that there is some chemistry between the Lady and her attendant and the tent keep her desire untold.
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10. Chapter: Precious enamels |
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Moving on from the tapestries, you pass through a room containing triptychs and altarpieces, most of which date from the 15th and 16th century. A narrow room containing writing tools is next, which leads into the second most remarkable exhibit in the Museum. This is a room filled with objects made of gold and silver, and beautiful enamels made in Limoges. This room is truly a delight to the eyes, as you are able to see solid gold crowns, golden crucifixes encrusted with precious stones, and priceless gold and enamel boxes made in the workshops of Limoges, the most famous enamel center of Europe.
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11. Chapter: The end of the journey |
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Religious paintings and triptychs dominate the next few rooms. Also of interest is a figure of Christ on a donkey, with wheels, that was used in Palm Sunday processions. Finally, you come to a room that contains medieval arms and armor. You have reached the end of your trip back in time. Downstairs, the bookshop is filled with all sorts of books on the Middle Ages and medieval life, most in French. A final look around the cobblestone courtyard allows you to see some interesting items, such as a sundial built into the wall of the museum. Any trip to Paris should include a visit to this wonderful museum.
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