The Met Cloisters

02/27/2020

If you missed last Saturday's workshop on the Lechón mask, celebrating Carnival and the Dominican Republic's Independence Day, don't worry--the workshop repeats this Saturday from 12 pm to 2:30 pm in the Pontaut Chapter House here at The Met Cloisters. Diego Espaillat, local Dominican-American artist, and Little Dominican Republic partner with the Museum to present a workshop with storytelling and hands on activities. More information is available on Little Dominican Republic's page, as well as on our website. Registration is closed for the hands on project, however all visitors are encouraged to join us in learning about and designing the mask.
https://www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/met-creates/carnival-masks-from-the-dominican-republic

This Saturday, February 22nd, and Saturday, February 29th, local community organization Little Dominican Republic celebrates the Dominican Republic’s Independence Day in partnership with The Met Cloisters. Using storytelling and hands-on activity, Washington Heights-born and raised Dominican-American artist Diego Espaillat will lead a workshop in our Pontaut Chapter House. Participants will gain an understanding of the symbolism and history of carnival masks while collaboratively decorating a Lechón mask from the city of Santiago de los Caballeros, DR.

Registration for participants has closed but we encourage visitors this Saturday, and next, to observe the workshop and learn about Dominican culture with us. More information is available on Little Dominican Republic's page or via The Met's website, linked below.
https://www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/met-creates/carnival-masks-from-the-dominican-republic

Images: Left: Diego Espaillat. Right: Quatrefoil Roundel with Arms and Secular Scenes, 1490–1500, German. The Met Cloisters Collection, Samuel P. Avery Memorial Fund, 1911 (11.120.1)

02/26/2020

The Judy Black Garden in Cuxa Cloister is currently filled with pots of forced daffodils, hyacinths, and anemones as we await spring. Grown onsite by the gardens department, the fragrance, beauty and color of our indoor flowers are a welcome distraction from the gray New York winter. #themetcloisters #gardens #flowers #wintergardening @ The Met Cloisters

02/18/2020

This Saturday, February 22nd, and Saturday, February 29th, local community organization Little Dominican Republic celebrates the Dominican Republic’s Independence Day in partnership with The Met Cloisters. Using storytelling and hands-on activity, Washington Heights-born and raised Dominican-American artist Diego Espaillat will lead a workshop in our Pontaut Chapter House. Participants will gain an understanding of the symbolism and history of carnival masks while collaboratively decorating a Lechón mask from the city of Santiago de los Caballeros, DR.

Registration for participants has closed but we encourage visitors this Saturday, and next, to observe the workshop and learn about Dominican culture with us. More information is available on Little Dominican Republic's page or via The Met's website, linked below.
https://www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/met-creates/carnival-masks-from-the-dominican-republic

Images: Left: Diego Espaillat. Right: Quatrefoil Roundel with Arms and Secular Scenes, 1490–1500, German. The Met Cloisters Collection, Samuel P. Avery Memorial Fund, 1911 (11.120.1)

01/11/2020

This is the final weekend to see The Colmar Treasure: A Medieval Jewish Legacy!


From the exhibition page (link in our bio):

A cache of jeweled rings, brooches, and coins—the precious possessions of a Jewish family of medieval Alsace—was hidden in the fourteenth century in the wall of a house in Colmar, France. Discovered in 1863 and
on view in an exhibition at The Met Cloisters, the Colmar Treasure revives the memory of a once-thriving Jewish community that was scapegoated and put to death when the Plague struck the region with devastating ferocity in 1348–49.

A generous loan of the Musée de Cluny, Paris, the Colmar Treasure is displayed alongside select works from The Met Cloisters and little-known Judaica from collections in the United States and France. Although
the objects on view are small in scale and relatively few in number, the ensemble overturns conventional notions of medieval Europe as a monolithic Christian society. The exhibition points to both legacy and loss, underscoring the prominence of the Jewish
minority community in the tumultuous fourteenth century and the perils it faced.

The Colmar Treasure is on view in the Glass Gallery at The Met Cloisters through January 12, 2020.
#themetcloisters #jewishhistory #medievalhistory #jewelry @ The Met Cloisters

01/03/2020

Today was the last refreshment of our handmade holiday decorations for the season. Freshly polished lady apples, roses, and other fresh cut flowers were added to candelabras and Main Hall arches. This is the last weekend to enjoy The Cloisters' medieval-inspired holiday decorations. While you are visiting, be sure to smell the aromatic, potted jasmines currently in bloom in the Cuxa Cloister. #themetcloisters #christmastide #newyear #tradition #plants #roses #jasmine #nycmuseums @ The Met Cloisters

12/30/2019

The Met Cloisters is searching for a Managing Horticulturist to lead our internationally-recognized gardens. If you are interested in this opportunity, please check out the position profile on LinkedIn (link in bio). #themetcloisters #gardening #horticulture

12/19/2019

Following the freezing rain in New York City this week, The Met Cloisters was transformed into an icy wonderland. Enjoy this collection of photos all submitted by various staff. We couldn’t help but each document the new and beautiful landscape. #themetcloisters #winterwonderland #seasonsgreetings #ice #landscape @ The Met Cloisters

12/16/2019

Five grand arches, the centerpiece of the Christmastide decorations at The Met Cloisters, were installed last week. Visual evidence for medieval holiday decorations is rare, but references survive in carols and other sources. Evergreens feature heavily in all our designs, reminders of the coming spring and of eternal life since they remained green while all other trees were bare. Holly and ivy are the most significant plants associated with the medieval celebration of Christmastide and can be seen on the arches as well as in our galleries during the winter. #medievaldecoration #christmastide #holidaysatthecloisters #themetcloisters #evergreen

12/12/2019

Caleb, our managing horticulturist, and his team are busy putting up our medieval holiday decorations today! This annual tradition is supported by the helping hands of all museum staff and volunteers—our decorations are handmade from fresh materials every year. Stop by between December 13, 2019 and January 6, 2020 to enjoy the season with us! #medievaltraditions #christmastide #themetcloisters #themet #nycholidays #nycmuseum #winter #holly

10/27/2019

Join us today for an afternoon of talks and discussion presented by experts from around the world exploring the Jewish community, art, and viticulture of medieval Alsace, France. Talks will be presented in the Fuentidueña Chapel free to all visitors with museum admission from 2 pm to 4 pm. Please note that space is limited -- seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. These talks are presented in conjunction with the exhibition The Colmar Treasure: A Medieval Jewish Legacy on view through January 12, 2020. https://www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/met-speaks/free-lectures/the-colmar-treasure-a-medieval-jewish-legacy-afternoon-of-talks

10/08/2019

Continuing from our previous post, Sempervivum tectorum was also known as Jove’s beard, for its tightly clustered leaves said to resemble a beard. A favorite plant at The Met Cloisters, we grow multiple pots of this succulent, some of which are seen here on the parapets of the 12th-century Cuxa Cloister. The juice from the leaves was used medicinally to treat skin inflammations or burns and to relieve pain. Laying bruised leaves across the crown of one’s head would reportedly staunch a nosebleed, though we are a bit dubious… #medievalmedicine #succulents #themetcloisters #beardorplant

10/03/2019

Sempervivum tectorum, also known as Jupiter’s beard, houseleek, or hens and chicks, among other names, is one of the signature plants at The Met Cloisters. This succulent’s use as a magical protection against lightning can be traced through the Middle Ages back to antiquity, where it was planted on tile and thatch roofs. The Capitulare de Villis, an indispensable 9th-century source for medieval gardens, instructs the gardener to grow houseleek on the roofs to protect Charlemagne’s imperial estates from fire.
Houseleeks are among the plants grown in large pots on the West Terrace at the Museum, which is actually the roof of a workspace below, taking advantage of its traditional, protective properties. Swipe through for a photo of the West Terrace plants and view of the Hudson river and New Jersey Palisades. #themetcloisters #magicalprotection #hensandchicks #hudsonriver #nycviews @ Palisades Interstate Park

09/27/2019

Join us this Saturday, September 28th, between 12 and 2 pm for It's All About the Gold: Learn to Gild the Medieval Way, a demonstration and short workshop with calligrapher and manuscript illuminator Karen Gorst. Karen will explain the process of illuminating medieval manuscript pages and provide materials for a guided, hands on experience. The demonstration is open to all visitors but the workshop will be first come, first served as space and materials are limited. This program is offered free with museum admission.
Above: A view of some of the manuscripts currently on display in the Treasury at The Met Cloisters (from closest to farthest we have The Cloisters Apocalypse, The Hours of Jeanne d’Evreux, a Book of Hours by Simon Bening, and the Belles Heures). High resolution images of some manuscript folios can be found on The Met’s website, though we always recommend coming to see these beautiful pieces in person! #themetcloisters #manuscripts #illumination #gilding #nycmuseums

09/17/2019

Our very tall stand of teasel glows gold in the early autumn morning light…
We grow both Dipsacus fullonum and D. sativus in the Bonnefont Herb Garden at The Met Cloisters, though only the D. fullonum (commonly known as fuller’s teasel) flowered this year. The spiny seed heads of both plants were used to tease woolen fibers before they were spun and to raise the nap on finished cloth. #medievalplants #fibers #spinningandweaving #themetcloisters #autumnmorning #nycgardens

09/12/2019

Calendula officinalis, or pot marigold, blooms beside sea holly in the Bonnefont Herb Garden at The Met Cloisters. The bright orange-yellow flowers were cooked in pottage—hence, the common name—and used as a food coloring in lieu of expensive saffron in other foods and drinks. Calendula’s medicinal uses included strengthening eyesight, curing a toothache or headache, and treating wounds or sprains. #themetcloisters #medievalgarden #calendula #marigold #flowers #medievalmedicine

07/23/2019

A Welcome Visitor.

A foreign visitor arrived at The Met Cloisters last week. She came in on a flight from Paris, but she is from the Middle East. She’s fairly easy to spot in the galleries, since she covers her hair completely with a scarf and wears a long gown. She doesn’t know English. She is accompanied by her daughter, who is a teenage mother, and a toddler grandson. Neither her husband nor the father of the baby is with them. We have provided a place for the family in our Boppard Gallery, and we hope you might find time to come see them and learn their story. Do introduce yourself. Her name is Anne--Saint Anne in fact; her daughter is called Mary and her grandson is named Jesus. We are providing a home for the three of them until January. After that they will return to the Musée de Cluny, Paris, which has sent them to us as a most generous loan.
The feast of Saint Anne is this Friday. @museecluny #themetcloisters #arthistory #saintanne #medievalart

07/19/2019

“The Colmar Treasure: A Medieval Jewish Legacy” opens Monday! Join us for an intimate look into the lives of the Jewish community in medieval Alsace, France. Visit the link below for ongoing events and tours, including free Sunday gallery talks relating themes from The Met Cloisters collection to the treasures on loan from the Musée de Cluny and private collections from the United States and France. The Colmar Treasure will be on view through January 12, 2020. #ColmarTreasure

https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2019/colmar-treasure-medieval-jewish-legacy

💍: Jewish ceremonial wedding ring, from the Colmar Treasure, ca. 1300­–before 1348. Gold, opaque and translucent enamel, 1 3/8 x 7/8 in. (3.5 x 2.3 cm). Musée de Cluny – Musée national du Moyen Âge, © RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY.

06/22/2019

Thank you for celebrating Midsummer with us at the Museum! Garden Day is a special day for us and we are happy to be have been favored by both the weather and visitors. Swipe through the photos of the various themed talks, given by garden staff and educators. At the end of our last talk, visitors joined Betty Ann in creating a virtual bonfire of wishes for the future. We hope we’ve now imbued the summer with our combined positive energy! #themetcloisters #nycsummer #museumday #familyfun #summer #midsummermagic @ The Met Cloisters

06/20/2019

This Saturday we will be celebrating the magic of midsummer with our annual Garden Day event. Join us in the gardens as we explore medieval traditions, learn about herbs associated with the summer solstice, and make art. Garden Day is for all ages. Swipe through for the day’s schedule or click here for more info: https://www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/met-celebrates/festivals-and-special-programs/cloisters-garden-days #medievalgardens #midsummer #magic #herbs #familyfun #saturdays @ The Met Cloisters

06/12/2019

We call them medieval species, the medieval artist called them inspiration. Even a handful of medieval flowers deserves a lifetime of study.
#medievalflowers #medievalgarden #metcloisters #cloistergarden #summerinthecity

04/19/2019

Pasque flower (Anemone vulgaris) receives its common name from the Hebrew, Pasakh or Passover. Flowering in May, the naming of pasque flower follows an ancient tradition of associating plants with significant holidays and observances. Collectively, anemones are called windflowers which is taken from the Greek, anemos, wind. We have certainly had our share of gusts this spring and look forward to gentler winds as spring unfolds.
Elsewhere in the gardens, the statuesque and stunning Fritillaria imperialis stands up against the grey skies in the shadow of the bell tower. #pasqueflower #pulsatilla #anemone #passover #medievalgarden #themetcloisters #cloistergarden @ The Met Cloisters

04/18/2019

Today, our visitors joined us for a minute of reflection as we rang a bell in The Met Cloisters tower. The ringing of our bell coincided with the ringing of bells across the UK in solidarity with the people of Paris following the fire at Notre Dame. Thank you to everyone who joined us in the Judy Black Garden and on The Met’s page for the live feed.

04/18/2019

#repost from @metmuseum ...
Today at 2 pm at The Met Cloisters, in observance of the fire at Notre-Dame, a bell in the Museum’s tower will toll for one minute, coinciding with the ringing of bells scheduled to take place across the United Kingdom. We invite you to join us by watching and listening live on The Met's page.

04/16/2019

Mandrake (Mandragora officinalis) is one of the earliest harbingers of spring in the medieval garden and perhaps the most storied of all our plants. With a flower of understated beauty, its annual occurrence is witnessed by only the most observant visitors.
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Other happenings in the garden include some of our favorite garden foils; the chartreuse euphorbias. These effervescent, lime green bracts brilliantly contrast with the hot colors of spring ephemerals. Pictured here in full glory is the dwarf Mediterranean spurge (Euphorbia charcias). #medievalgarden #Mandrake #TheMetCloisters #Euphorbiaceae #Euphorbiacharcias #Solanaceae @ The Met Cloisters

04/10/2019

Happy National Unicorn Day with some of our own magical animal. Swipe to see more! #nationalunicornday #themetcloisters #tapestry #architecture #medievalart @ The Met Cloisters

04/08/2019

The early morning spring light in the cloister is captured quite perfectly here by the gardener enjoying a quiet moment before the museum opens. April 19th the glass enclosure around the Judy Black Garden in Cuxa Cloister comes down and the garden will officially open to the public. For now, witness the plants stirring and enjoy the sun’s warmth from protected arcades perfumed with citrus and jasmine. #medievalgarden #judyblackgarden #themetcloisters #cloistergarden #bestweekatthemetcloisters @ The Met Cloisters