As quoted from Shannon L. Alder, "Life always begins with one step outside your comfort zone."
It might just be me or others have similar fear of venturing anywhere above 125th street in New York. However the beautiful photos of The Cloister Museum tempted me to take a leap of courage.
This museum is a branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art dedicated to the art and architecture of medieval Europe, dating from the twelfth to the fifteen century- essentially the Romanesque and the Gothic period. Since this is a jewelry blog, let start with sharing some of my favorite jewelry pieces from the Middle Ages.
Techniques:
The rings below all dates back to the Middle Ages, one can imagine the amount of manual work that's put into every piece by the goldsmiths. The main materials used during this period was gold and silver where different techniques were used to create working surfaces and decoration. Popular techniques included granulation, filigree, enameling, and other techniques that would enhance the brilliance of the piece.
Designs:
It's unsure how the design of every piece came about during the Middle Ages. It's said that upon the fall of the Roman empire, design of jewelry became less important than the significance in the piece. Speed was desired over quality- perhaps because of trying to keep the monastery flourishing. While the majority of monks turned to framing and wine making, some of them turned to goldsmithing that was concentrated on ecclesiastical jewels. This type of jewelry (mostly rings) were worn by bishops to indicate their status. The ring band are often oversized because the ring had to be worn over gloved hands.
As mentioned earlier about the importance placed in significance jewelry, memento mori pieces are a good example. "Memento Mori" a latin phrase that translate to "remember death." This special category of jewelry emerged during the Renaissance, when goldsmiths and other artists developed moralistic images that contrasted youth and beauty with death and decay. These pieces seems to be a reminder for their owners to think about human existence, and the vanity of materialistic pursues.
Often you may see the juxtaposition of human body with skeletons (above), and sometimes messages were revealed through the use of hidden chambers. The image below is a ring that separates into two hoops. When opened, the paired bezels reveal two hidden chambers where one side is a curled up baby, and the other side is the baby skeleton. This is why I love hidden messages because it's up to the owner to find his/her own meaning in the piece. The inscription states, "Whom god has joined together, let no man tear asunder." If this doesn't send a chill down your spine, then I don't know what would.
Now that I have shared with you some of my favorite pieces from the Griffin Collection, it's time I share with you some of the spatial courtyards in the museum.
Below- Cuxa Cloister, Marble:
The medieval elements in this museum all come from the abbey of Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa, constructed between 1130 and 1146. The capitals are carved; the planes are simple and defined; and the decorative figural motifs provide strong visual support for the abaci and arcading above them.
The capitals (pillars) in this courtyard are decorated with figures blowing horns, beasts with half-swallowed men in their mouths, and lions devouring them.
Below- Saint-Guilhem Cloister, Limestone:
Just by looking at the capitals (pillars) one can immediately think of water. This monastery nestled in the landscape of gorges and waterfalls. Many of the capitals imitate the leaf forms of ancient Roman types; others appear as if covered by vines.
This capital is one of my favorite as I can imagine it looking really beautiful if made into a piece of jewelry.
Sadly my phone decided to run out of battery towards the end of my exploration, but that allowed me to be present in the moment rather than constantly taking photos. Being at this museum made me forget about the chaotic noise and busy streets of Manhattan. I could hear the birds chirping, the sounds of bugs and birds flying around. There's no words I could use to describe the peace I felt, perhaps I ought to consult a poet.
If you are visiting New York, be sure to check out The Cloister. Just like many other museums in New York, The Cloister museum is a "pay as you wish" place, meaning that you are not required to pay the full admission price. Above is a short video introducing The Cloister.
It might just be me or others have similar fear of venturing anywhere above 125th street in New York. However the beautiful photos of The Cloister Museum tempted me to take a leap of courage.
This museum is a branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art dedicated to the art and architecture of medieval Europe, dating from the twelfth to the fifteen century- essentially the Romanesque and the Gothic period. Since this is a jewelry blog, let start with sharing some of my favorite jewelry pieces from the Middle Ages.
Techniques:
The rings below all dates back to the Middle Ages, one can imagine the amount of manual work that's put into every piece by the goldsmiths. The main materials used during this period was gold and silver where different techniques were used to create working surfaces and decoration. Popular techniques included granulation, filigree, enameling, and other techniques that would enhance the brilliance of the piece.
Designs:
It's unsure how the design of every piece came about during the Middle Ages. It's said that upon the fall of the Roman empire, design of jewelry became less important than the significance in the piece. Speed was desired over quality- perhaps because of trying to keep the monastery flourishing. While the majority of monks turned to framing and wine making, some of them turned to goldsmithing that was concentrated on ecclesiastical jewels. This type of jewelry (mostly rings) were worn by bishops to indicate their status. The ring band are often oversized because the ring had to be worn over gloved hands.
As mentioned earlier about the importance placed in significance jewelry, memento mori pieces are a good example. "Memento Mori" a latin phrase that translate to "remember death." This special category of jewelry emerged during the Renaissance, when goldsmiths and other artists developed moralistic images that contrasted youth and beauty with death and decay. These pieces seems to be a reminder for their owners to think about human existence, and the vanity of materialistic pursues.
Often you may see the juxtaposition of human body with skeletons (above), and sometimes messages were revealed through the use of hidden chambers. The image below is a ring that separates into two hoops. When opened, the paired bezels reveal two hidden chambers where one side is a curled up baby, and the other side is the baby skeleton. This is why I love hidden messages because it's up to the owner to find his/her own meaning in the piece. The inscription states, "Whom god has joined together, let no man tear asunder." If this doesn't send a chill down your spine, then I don't know what would.
Now that I have shared with you some of my favorite pieces from the Griffin Collection, it's time I share with you some of the spatial courtyards in the museum.
Below- Cuxa Cloister, Marble:
The medieval elements in this museum all come from the abbey of Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa, constructed between 1130 and 1146. The capitals are carved; the planes are simple and defined; and the decorative figural motifs provide strong visual support for the abaci and arcading above them.
The capitals (pillars) in this courtyard are decorated with figures blowing horns, beasts with half-swallowed men in their mouths, and lions devouring them.
Below- Saint-Guilhem Cloister, Limestone:
Just by looking at the capitals (pillars) one can immediately think of water. This monastery nestled in the landscape of gorges and waterfalls. Many of the capitals imitate the leaf forms of ancient Roman types; others appear as if covered by vines.
This capital is one of my favorite as I can imagine it looking really beautiful if made into a piece of jewelry.
Sadly my phone decided to run out of battery towards the end of my exploration, but that allowed me to be present in the moment rather than constantly taking photos. Being at this museum made me forget about the chaotic noise and busy streets of Manhattan. I could hear the birds chirping, the sounds of bugs and birds flying around. There's no words I could use to describe the peace I felt, perhaps I ought to consult a poet.
If you are visiting New York, be sure to check out The Cloister. Just like many other museums in New York, The Cloister museum is a "pay as you wish" place, meaning that you are not required to pay the full admission price. Above is a short video introducing The Cloister.
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