Musée du Moyen Age (Middle Ages) - Musée de Cluny, Paris

  2. The sense of sight
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  • 2. The sense of sight
      2. The sense of sight
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  • 4. Guiterne
      4. Guiterne
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  • 3. In the rounded room
      3. In the rounded room
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  • 3. Heads without statues
      3. Heads without statues
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  • 2. Statues without heads
      2. Statues without heads
    by Nemorino
 

83 Reviews of Musée du Moyen Age (Middle Ages) - Musée de Cluny

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Dame à la Licorne: The Lady and the Unicorn
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goodfish 911 reviews
Dame �� la Licorne: the heart?
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I mentioned these in my Musée de Cluny tip but it's such an important exhibit that it deserves a tip of its own. This rare and lovely set of six tapestries is thought to have been created sometime near the end of the 15th century. Who commissioned them, and why, is not certain but based on a coat of arms present in each of them, it was likely a member of the Le Viste family of Lyon. This would explain the presence of the lion, with the unicorn representing the family name, as it was a symbol for swiftness: "viste" in old French.

Five of the hangings are visual allegories of the five senses and it's not difficult to figure out which is which.
The lady...
...holds a mirror that reflects the face of her unicorn: sight
...plays a small organ, helped by a handmaiden: hearing/sound
...weaves a garland of flowers from a basket held by a servant: smell
...selects a sweet from a bowl: taste
...gently strokes the unicorn's horn: touch

The sixth tapestry is a bit of a mystery but a brochure from the museum shop offers several different interpretations. In this one, our lady is enclosed in a blue pavilion emblazoned with the words "A mon sevl desir": my only desire. The enclosure could be symbolic of the separation of sacred from profane, or earthy from heavenly. I can also easily imagine it as enclosing purity of the heart - and the heart as a sixth sense is indeed one of the most possible allegories. The lady has taken off her costly necklace and is placing it into a casket of jewels held by her handmaiden. Is she renouncing worldly vanities for a more austere and spiritual life? Or is she telling us that true love is more valuable and desirable than material riches? You be the judge. I did find it interesting that this lady's hair has a rather ragged and shorn appearance compared to the careful coifs or long, flowing locks of the others.

The pieces are displayed in a very dimly lit room to preserve their colors. Photography is allowed but no flash so they're a bit difficult to capture on film.
See my "Glory of the Middle Ages" tip for more on the Musée de Cluny /Musée National du Moyen Âge.

Updated Dec 19, 2010

Address: 6, place Paul Painlevé 75005 Paris

Website: http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/ang/index.html

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Medieval Museum
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solopes 3785 reviews
Paris - France
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In the "Rive Gauche", near Sorbonne, the national museum of the Middle Ages is installed in a complex composed by two Parisian monuments: Gallo-Roman thermal baths (1st-3rd centuries) and the hotel of the abbots of Cluny (15th century). The museum was founded in 1843, thanks to the collections of Alexandre de Sommerard who lived in the hotel of Cluny. Enriched during the years, the large collections covers all the art from Gaulle Roman times to the 16th century.

Updated Dec 13, 2010

Address: Boulevard St-Michel

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Musée de Cluny
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MM212 3482 reviews
H��tel de Cluny entrance - Nov 2010
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Officially called "Musée National du Moyen Âge - Thermes et Hôtel de Cluny," this museum contains an amazing collection of mediaeval art from Paris. It is housed in two adjacent structures, both considered rare examples of architecture in the city: les Thermes de Cluny, the 3rd century AD Roman Baths, and l'hôtel de Cluny, the 15th/16th century residence of the abbot of Cluny. The Baths of Cluny were among several that served the inhabitants of Lutetia, i.e. Roman Paris, and stand nowadays in partial ruins. The frigidarium (cold room) of the baths is better preserved and is used as a hall within the museum, whereas the caldarium (hot room) has lost its roof and can only be seen from the outside of the museum in its garden. L'Hôtel de Cluny itself dates back to the 13th century and served as the residence of the abbot of cluny. It was almost entirely rebuilt around 1500 by abbot Jacques d'Amboise in a design mixing Gothic and Renaissance styles, but its most striking feature is the chapel with a splendid and unique Gothic ceiling (see attached photos). The mansion was abandoned after the Suppression, but it was purchased along with the ruined baths in the early 19th century by the lover of art, Alexandre du Sommerard. Upon his death in 1842, he donated the palace, the adjacent baths and his mediaeval art collection to the state to be collectively turned into a museum.

Updated Dec 9, 2010

Address: 6 place Paul Painlevé, Paris 5e

Website: www.musee-moyenage.fr

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Exceptional Middle Ages Museum
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TexasDave 789 reviews
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The displays in this museum cover art ( a Lot of it religious) from the 1st to the the 5th Centuries and then from the 11th to the 15th centuries. Part of it sits in the ruins of a Frigidarium of a Roman Bath. Two of the outstanding things to see are:
1. Most of the sculpted heads of the 28 Kings of Judah and Israel meant for Norte Dame's West Facade but buried during the French Revolution. They were lost for almost 200 years but in 1977 found by pure chance when digging near the Opera.

2. The Lady and The Unicorn series of tapestries from about 1500. Similar ones hang in the Cloisters Museum in New York City.
But there are many other gems to see as well.

this museum is covered by the Paris Museum Pass.

Updated Oct 25, 2010

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Visit the Musee de Moyen Age (Cluny Museum)
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Beausoleil 526 reviews
Cluny Museum
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This is one of our favorite museums. It's small but packed with interest. There are Roman baths and artifacts but the main focus is medieval history. The most famous part of the collection is the series of Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries so be sure to see them. They are upstairs in a room by themselves and come with an explanation. Photos are allowed but no flash so it's difficult to get a good picture.

The stained glass is amazing because it is mounted on a light wall and you can get right up to it and see the details. Much more fun than using binoculars to view windows twenty feet over your head.

Finally, don't miss the gardens. There is a medieval garden with very modern fountains and sculpture. There is ample seating for family picnics on wooden benches and a marvelous children's playground if you have your kids with you.

Oh yes, this is a great place to buy the Paris Museum Pass because there is almost never a line at the Cluny Museum.

Updated Sep 16, 2010

Address: 6, place Paul-Painlevé, Paris

Phone: +33 (0) 1 5373-7816

Website: http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/ang/index.html

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And so many other marvels. . . . .
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kokoryko 1696 reviews
The Grape Harvest
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I like a lot the Grape Harvest tapestry, a Flemish work from beginning 16th century (is it still Middle Age?), among the many tapestries you can admire in the museum. Items of every day’s life of that time are also here, like this tap (picture 2) which, with time and wearing became really “modern” to me! But it is religious art which makes the special character of the museum and best represents the inspiration of the Middle age artists. The Madonna on picture 3 can get tears from your eyes, and this Italian Cross Descent (picture 4) is really moving, more than religious painting!
Visiting this museum takes at least 3 hours but you can get lost in there for the whole day and the employees may politely ask you to leave at 5:45 pm. . . . You forget eating, drinking. . . you are immersed. . .
And a to finish, an “annunciation” on stained glass (picture 5), where the Holy Spirit represented as a dove bearing a halo is telling about good news. . . . Leave the Museum in peace.

There is a bookstore and shop (it closed at 6:pm) in the lower level next to the entrance; you can have a look at a big selection of books about Middle Age (some in English), or DVDs, and a lot of art reproduction you can purchase for souvenir or gifts (mainly mouldings, scarves, tapestry reproductions. . . . puzzles, calendars, postcards. . . . ); not cheap!

Days and hours of operation
Every day except Tuesday, from 9:15 to 5:45
Desk closes at 5:15
Closed 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
-Plein tarif : 7.5 €
-Tarif réduit : 5.5 €

Updated May 10, 2010

Address: 6, place Paul Painlevé, 75005 Paris

Phone: 33 (0)1 53 73 78 16

Website: http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/ang/index.html

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Roman baths
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illumina 983 reviews
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Visible in the garden of the Hotel de Cluny are the walls of the third century Roman thermal baths - which were destroyed during barbarian invasions. There is a modern building built around part of the old baths; Room XII in the Museum contains the massive vaulting preserved intact. The best preserved part of the baths is the frigidarium (cold room), which shelters two beautifully carved first- and second-century capitals, the so-called Seine Boatmen's Pillar and the Pillar of St-Landry, which has animated-looking gods and musicians adorning three of its faces.

Updated Apr 23, 2010

Address: Boulevard St-Michel

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Musée national du Moyen-age, Musée de Cluny. 5th.
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pfsmalo 928 reviews
The main courtyard of the museum.
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The museum of the Middle-Ages-Thermal baths of Cluny are comprised in 2 buildings, the thermal baths dationg from the 1st-III centuries and the "Hotel of the Bishops of Cluny" from the 15th century. The museum was founded in 1843 by Antoine de Sommerard, who was living here at the time and was a lover of all things "middle-ages". There is also a medieval styled garden behind.

Not having visited the inside of the museum I give here the website address and 'phone number for those that want more information and details. The website is very detailed and is in French, English or Spanish.

Cluny-Sorbonne is the closest metro.

Written Apr 29, 2009

Address: Rue de Sommerard 75005 Paris.

Phone: 01 53 73 78 00

Website: http://www.musee-moyenage.fr

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More tapestries.
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breughel 1230 reviews
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Once I'm inside the Musée du Moyen Age I'm unable to leave. This time I got stuck at tapestries called "Vie Seigneuriale - Manorial Life" (Flanders 16th c.)
They are an illustration of the "Amour Courtois" chivalrous love, reading, poetry, singing and music. "La Dame au Bain" is the best known part.

Other activities are represented in the Liberal Arts tapestry having for subject Arithmetic's (Flanders, probably Tournai, begin 16th c.).

Religion is another major theme of medieval tapestries. The museum displays a most remarkable series of choir hangings the "Legend of St Etienne" made in Brussels around 1500.

Now if that is not sufficient, amateurs can go to the Louvre to see the famous 12 tapestries called "The Hunts of Maximilian" (see my tip) in wing Richelieu.

The "lissiers" tapestry weavers used two type of weaving loom: the horizontal loom called "basse lisse" and the vertical one "haute lisse". In both case the weavers worked on the back side. It has been calculated that one "lissier" would weave about 1 square meter in one month!

Updated Nov 29, 2008

Address: 6 Place Paul Painlevé

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Surprising statues.
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breughel 1230 reviews
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Surprising was that statue called "Christ des Rameaux - Christ of Palm Sunday".
In South Germany, from 12th to 16th c., animated sculptures were used in order to put in scene some parts of the sacred history around Easter.
Here we have a sculpture representing Jesus Christ on a little donkey. This statue (end 15th c.) made of 17 parts of wood and posed on a platform with wheels was used on Palm Sunday and towed from one church considered as the Mount of Olives, to another, considered as the Holy Sepulchre.
This tradition of medieval piety ended with the Reform or Counter-Reform.

In a totally other area, that of daily life, I found a little statue in polychrome wood from 1500 (photo n°2) "Buste Porte Serviette" used as towel rail!

Written Nov 2, 2008

Address: 6 Place Paul Painlevé

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Musée du Moyen Age (Middle Ages) - Musée de Cluny

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