New Year's Eve trip to The Cloisters

The Cloisters is a museum located on 4 acres of land overlooking the Hudson River in northern Manhattan.  A branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, this museum is unlike any other that I've visited, as all of the exterior architecture as well as the interior works of art are reflective of medieval Europe (actually, now that I think of it, the Museum of the Middle Ages of Gorizia, which is absolutely amazing, is somewhat similar).  The Cloisters are a collection of buildings that incorporate aspects of several different medieval buildings.  Many elements, both structural and decorative, from medieval cloisters (e.g.,  Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Trie-sur-Baïse, Froville) have been incorporated into the larger building, all of which is laid out in chronological order with the oldest styles and architecture presented first.  Click here for a map of the museum.

The museum was opened to the public in 1938, and has a rich history, including the preservation of land directly across from The Cloisters on the other side of the Hudson River in New Jersey, which has secured the museum's pristine views of the NJ Palisades.  As you might imagine, the Cloisters are very peaceful.  It's a wonderful place for reflection and contemplation.  The collection of artwork housed within is as spectacular and vast as the setting of the Cloisters itself.  It was lovely spending the last day of 2013 among such beauty and history.  It was the perfect location to gain the perspective and peace of mind that this time of year calls for.

Below, an apse constructed in Spain around the 12th century.  It is originally from the San Martín church at Fuentidueña and is on "permanent loan" from the Spanish government.  The dome is decorated with a Catalan fresco of the Virgin Mary and Child; a 12th century wooden crucifix, also from Spain, hangs from the arch. 

Below, the Gothic Chapel, a modern structure built in the Gothic style, which houses the carved sculptures (effigies) and tombs of royal and noble figures from France and Spain (~ 13th - 14th century).  The stained-glass windows are from 14th century Austria.

 

One of the medieval inspired gardens ("Bonnefont").

View of the Palisades in the distance.

Below, is a cloister from the Carmelite convent formally located in Trie-sur-Baïse (south-western France, near Toulouse).  Elements of this structure date back to the late 15th century.

The museum houses several small scales pieces in a gallery called the Treasury.  From the curator of the exhibit: "Every medieval church had a treasury in which its most important objects were kept.  For this reason, the Cloisters Treasury is very much in keeping with tradition." Below is an example of one of the treasures on display, a triptych depicting scenes from the Passion of Christ (1494).

Below, through the archway hangs the first tapestry in a series of seven called The Unicorn Tapestries created in the Netherlands between 1495 and 1505.  They are woven of wool, silk, silver, and gold.  The tapestries depict a story in which an elusive magical unicorn is hunted and finally tamed, willingly.  The unicorn is thought to symbolize love.

The Unicorn in Captivity

Below, the last sun rays of 2013 shine through the trees on the grounds of the Cloisters.

For more information about the exhibits in the museum I recommend reading, "A Walk Through the Cloisters," by Bonnie Young.