Well-traveled as we are in Europe, we had never heard of aquamaniles, or if we had, it did not quite register. Perhaps understandably. In any case, an aquamanile (water + hand) was a Medieval table piece, used chiefly to pass around and wash one's hands. Mostly in German lands. Mostly the nobility. The Met has a number of these items, both at Fifth Ave and at the Cloisters. We were impressed, and I count the discovery of aquamaniles to be among my most important take-aways from the great museum.
...recounts the retirement travels of Mark and Vicki Sherouse since 2008...in Asia and the Pacific, New Zealand, Europe, South America, and Africa, as well as the US and Canada. Our website, with much practical information, is: https://sites.google.com/site/theroadgoeseveron/.Contact us at mark.sherouse@gmail.com or vsherouse@gmail.com.
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
The Met: Arms And Armor
Yet another day we wandered into the Met's arms and armor department. Not our cup of tea, but impressive nonetheless.
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Portrait of Philip IV in battle dress |
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Well-dressed knight |
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Skirt for combat a cheval |
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Well-rounded set |
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Rifles |
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Charge of the heavy brigade...this stuff always reminds me of Agincourt |
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Cross bows and arrows |
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Variety of points to suit the occasion |
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Pistols |
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Carbines |
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Gentlemen's set |
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One of many halls of arms and armor |
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Chain mail shirt |
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"Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!" |
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Ancient specimens...more in the ancient Greek and Roman departments |
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Really ancient specimen...said to be one of the largest and most perfectly knapped flint axe heads yet found...not known whether it was for actual use or merely "ceremonial" |
Saturday, January 18, 2025
The Met: Musical Instruments
One day we wandered into the musical instruments department of the Met...
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In addition to all the instruments, there are many paintings, sculptures, etc., relating to music... |
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Obligatory Stradivarius |
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Obligatory Erard...decorated for English nobility..Erard was the choice of Wagner and other composers... |
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19th century oboes; I eventually learned to make my own reeds, thereby saving my family a small fortune |
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Contra-bass saxophone |
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Said to be the oldest surviving piano, early 18th century, by Cristofori; I also played piano in my teens; but did not attempt to play this one |
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
The Met: Henry R. Luce Center For The Study of American Art
The Luce Center does for American art what the Greek and Roman Study Center does for classical art: it stores a lot of things not on permanent display, but in a mode accessible and well-cataloged and well-described. The Center is immense: the Met itself is immense because of its relative youth and situation in Central Park. Imagine, all the spare parts are under the same roof...
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Helpful map |
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Some of the silver |
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Plates, bowls |
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Aisle after aisle of all these things |
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How to make a Tiffany lamp |
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Paintings |
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Chests |
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More paintings...in the portraits division...note the screen whereby you can identify pieces, read descriptions... |
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Frames |
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More paintings |
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Including a Mary Cassatt |
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A Benjamin West |
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Elliot portrait of Mathew Brady...1857...before he became really famous |
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Glass...evidently I was overwhelmed, wandering aimlessly... |
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Another Bierstadt... |
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OBF |
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Chairs dept. |
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Overcome, we retreated to the roof-top cafe for a sunset view |