Cluny Museum

The Cluny Museum is the National Museum of the Middle Ages.  We went with the students as part of their Art History class.  It was great to listen to their instructor and learn more about viewing and understanding art.

Exterior of the museum.

The museum is located on the site of a Roman bathhouse.  The Roman baths were the social and economic center of Lutetia (the Roman name for Paris).

The frigidarium was the location of the cold baths.  After opening their pores in a hot bath to release bad humors the Romans would jump in a cold bath to close their pores.

Anxiously taking notes.

These heads were Israelite kings on the facade of Notre Dame.
They were torn down during the French Revolution, only to
be rediscovered in the 1970's.

 A small room displayed stained glass windows, many from Sainte-Chapelle.  We learned about stained glass production and the differences between early and and later styles of stained glass.

An altarpiece. 

Gold rose

Unicorn horn

One of many tapestries.
One of the most famous, The Lady and the Unicorn, was not on display.

Dance like nobody's watching.

The kids were very well behaved during the 2 1/2 hour class.  I am hoping we can go to more of them.   A museum visit is so much more interesting when you have some information about the origin and meaning of the art.  It was the first time I had to think hard in a long time, and I loved it!