The Met's Cloisters, 1

We can't remember whether we first visited The Cloisters--the Met's Medieval satellite way up the river--in 1968, when we were working in New Haven, or in 1970-71, when we were working and studying in Boston. Of course, from college and other studies, we already had more than passing acquaintance with things Medieval. But we're sure we first saw the Cloisters in those years, and it made an impression. We've seen a lot more Medieval stuff in Europe over the years, in situ, most of it, but the Cloisters still warrant a visit. Or two. We were there October 5th and again on October 17th.

An assemblage of artifacts and building parts from Europe, mostly
the Pyrenees and environs, Spain, France, and some Germany, too;
much of it acquired initially by the American art dealer George
Gray Barnard, then bought and placed in Fort Tryon park by
John D. Rockefeller, Jr.; Fort Tryon park a gift from Rockefeller to
the state, the Barnard collection a gift to the Met; he also bought
huge tracts across the river in New Jersey to ensure the views from
Fort Tryon would be preserved...

John D. also gave us the Smokies, the Tetons, and so much more...
public-spirited billionaires always needed...

From forty paces, you'd think this was a van Eyck; and you'd be
nearly right...this is the Merode Altarpiece, attributed to the workshop
of Robert Campin, a contemporary of the van Eycks, who also
dabbled in oil; an Annunciation Triptych; 1430s, Tournai

Central panel

Donor panel

Joseph hacking away panel...

Now in one of the four cloisters (on one of the excellent docent-led
tours); most abbeys had only one cloister, at most two, but this is America...

Jesus float in the Easter parade

Baby J playing with the forbidden fruit

Eve takes a bite and we're all eternally damned, but He
only gets diaper rash...

Hear no evil, see no evil, ...

Interesting depiction of the dragon; Burgos, 1530

Nativity of the Virgin, German, late 15th, paint on limewood; that is,
St. Anne having given birth to the Virgin

Now in the Fuentiduena chapel...a lion relief, c. 1200, originally
from a church in Zamorra

Now in the chancel of the Fuentiduena chapel, 
originally from Segovia; purchased by John D. and
shipped back to the States in 839 crates...more than
3,000 limestone and sandstone blocks...

Romanesque crucifix in the chapel; you can tell it's Romanesque
because Jesus looks relatively serene and his feet are apart,
resting on a sort of step on the cross; this was our big take-away
from the Cloisters and definitely will be on the quiz...we've seen
hundreds (thousands?) of crucifixes, but the distinction between
Romanesque and Gothic crucifixes was something new to us...
always more to learn...

Baptismal thing in the chapel

Painted wood box with scenes from the recapture of Orange, early 13th;
the Muslims had taken Orange, in the south of France, and the scenes
commemorate its "liberation"

Enthroned Virgin and Child, painted walnut, Auvergne,
late 12th

Across the river, the New Jersey Palisades

Way up river, the Tappan Zee Bridge, or possibly some other bridge

Refectory bell, German, 13th, inscribed (in Latin) "I ring
for breakfast, dinner, and drinks," mocktails, presumably...
or possibly some holy schnapps...