All Essays
Medieval Art and The Cloisters
The physical remains of saints, called relics, were believed to have the power of intercession as well as the capacity to heal.
Wendy Alpern Stein
September 1, 2020
From the fourteenth to the mid-sixteenth century, more books of hours were made than any other type of book.
Wendy Alpern Stein
June 1, 2017
Undoubtedly, the viewer’s first response upon opening the prayer beads and miniature altarpieces must have been a sense of wonder, soon followed by a keen desire to understand how and by whom these extraordinary and delightful objects were made.
Lisa Ellis and Pete Dandridge
April 1, 2017
During the medieval period, peoples of three faiths—Islam, Christianity, and Judaism—inhabited this land, undertaking sustained and intensive interactions that proved especially fruitful for the visual arts.
Julia Perratore
September 1, 2016
Under Ottonian rule, churches and monasteries produced magnificent illuminated manuscripts, imposing buildings, and sumptuous luxury objects intended for church interiors and treasuries.
Charles T. Little
May 1, 2016
Combined with other sumptuous materials such as wood, marble, and other decorative stones, these glass ornaments transformed the interiors of churches, mosques, palaces, and shrines.
Matthew Saba
April 1, 2016
Silver objects in an astonishing variety of shapes and sizes reflect the wide array of influences that artisans translated into a characteristic Hungarian/Transylvanian style.
Wolfram Koeppe
February 1, 2016
A member of the sedge family, the papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) was an integral feature of the ancient Nilotic landscape, essential to the ancient Egyptians in both the practical and symbolic realms.
Janice Kamrin
March 1, 2015
Gainsborough was an avid amateur player, and through his extensive correspondence with composer Carl Friedrich Abel, we learn of his love of the instrument, specifically his desire to “take [my] Viol da Gamba and walk off to some sweet Village when I can print Landskips and enjoy the fag End of Life in quietness and ease.”
Elizabeth Weinfield
June 1, 2014
There are, to this date, architectural elements at The Cloisters whose original location remains unknown.
Nancy Y. Wu
March 1, 2014