The Middle Ages has always been a subject of interest for me; I can partially blame the movie A Knight’s Tale. I do not know if the music or the art are what appealed to me the most but the era is fascinating to learn about. I actually felt privileged to have visited the Cluny Museum. The thought of walking through the halls were superior men have walked thrilled me. When I arrived to the location of the museum, I took the time to inhale the structure of what once was a monastery. It certainly looked very medieval and dull. The architecture was not flamboyant at all. It definitely resembled a religious era where tradition was incorporated in every angle. The Cluny Order really accomplished the task of integrating religion with art. I found it really stimulating the way they approached the idea of discovering God through art. It makes perfect sense why the museum revolves so much on religious themes. The biblical art plastered on the glass windows reflects the creativity and patience of the Cluny Order. While the Benedictines relied on prayer, the Cluny’s relied on human skill to communicate with God. It was not just a religious awakening for them but an art one too. I noticed that the sculptures displayed throughout the museum differed in texture, emotion and material. The wooden sculptures appeared more spiritual and monotone and the sculptures made out of stone appeared more romantic. The religious theme is echoed throughout the whole Cluny Museum but there were other pieces of art that did not resemble religion. For example, the “Woman and the Unicorn” tapestries symbolize the five senses of the human being. Each tapestry visibly explained the 5 senses: taste, hearing, smell, touch and sight. The sixth tapestry has been interpreted as the symbol of love. Each tapestry showed a unicorn and a lion that usually framed the lady. It was hard to distinguish at first what sense the woman was acting out but my questions were later answered with the help of the monkey. The sight of these tapestries hung on the walls of the Cluny Museum seemed so surreal. I felt like a character out of a medieval story.  |
