Cluny Museum

It is another rainy Sunday in Paris--three in a row.  But we aren't complaining because at least it has cooled down.  After sending Denise and family in the taxi to the gare, we decided it was a perfect day for a quick trip to the Cluny.  It is the museum of the middle ages and is built on the ruins of the Roman baths.  It is housed in an old mansion that was owned by rich abbots of the Benedictine Order.

Kate in the Courtyard of the Cluny Museum

This is one of our favorite museums.  It is not too big or crowded and is very manageable.  
The Cluny includes some of the original sculptures from Notre Dame.  This sculpture of Adam from one of the portals even has some green paint still on it.  Behind Adam you can see an original wall of the Roman baths.

Adam Sculpture from Notre Dame

Green paint on fig leaf

We saw fragments of the original stained glass from Sainte Chapelle.  It is great to see the detail up close that you can't see in the chapel with the windows up so high.


The Blinding of Samson

Angel sounding a trump at the resurrection
and men climbing out of their tombs

These keystones are from St. Denis where the kings of France are buried.  They date from the mid-13th century.

The museum is probably best known for its tapestries of the Lady and the Unicorn.  Five of them represent the five senses.  The tapestries were recently cleaned and restored and are beautiful.  They date from the 16th century.  There is a mystery about the sixth tapestry.  It has the motto "To my only desire" on it and nobody knows the meaning for sure.




Kelly in front of the sixth Lady and the Unicorn Tapestry

Gold Votive Crowns with Jewels

14th Century Reliquary of St. Adalhard

Another room had beautiful reliquaries and other objects made of gold and silver.
Saint Adalhard was an abbot who lived at the time of Charlemagne in the 9th century He was Charlemagne's cousin.  I'm not sure why his reliquary is shaped like a foot.

Ceiling of the Chapel

John the Baptist

John the Baptist is easily recognized by his hairy coat.

















Christ on a donkey

This wooden statue of Christ on a donkey is German.  I love how his "halo" has a cross in it and the statue is on wheels.

Kelly and Kate agreed to one picture in the courtyard as we left.  They were ready for an afternoon nap and we were all ready for the cool of our apartment.

Kate and Kelly at the Cluny