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.
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| 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... |
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| John D. also gave us the Smokies, the Tetons, and so much more... public-spirited billionaires always needed... |
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| 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 |
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| Central panel |
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| Donor panel |
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| Joseph hacking away panel... |
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| 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... |
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| Jesus float in the Easter parade |
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| Baby J playing with the forbidden fruit |
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| Eve takes a bite and we're all eternally damned, but He only gets diaper rash... |
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| Hear no evil, see no evil, ... |
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| Interesting depiction of the dragon; Burgos, 1530 |
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| Nativity of the Virgin, German, late 15th, paint on limewood; that is, St. Anne having given birth to the Virgin |
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| Now in the Fuentiduena chapel...a lion relief, c. 1200, originally from a church in Zamorra |
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| 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... |
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| 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... |
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| Baptismal thing in the chapel |
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| 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" |
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| Enthroned Virgin and Child, painted walnut, Auvergne, late 12th |
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| Across the river, the New Jersey Palisades |
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| Way up river, the Tappan Zee Bridge, or possibly some other bridge |
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| Refectory bell, German, 13th, inscribed (in Latin) "I ring for breakfast, dinner, and drinks," mocktails, presumably... or possibly some holy schnapps... |
