Musee De Cluny

On our second day in Paris we decided to go and see the Musee De Cluny. After a few mix ups at the metro we arrived at the museum and from what I could see on the outside it was a beautiful building.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we got inside we first entered into the room that houses the temporary collections of the Musee De Cluny. It was mostly ancient statues and had one magnificent tapestry. The next room which was the Notre Dame room was one of the more impressive rooms. In that room it displayed the 21 heads from the gallery of the kings of Juda (circa 1220-1230). On the right side of the room was a whole bunch of headless statues and in front of you across the room as you entered through the doors were 21 heads. All of the heads were really big and in pretty rough shape, they were originally on the Notre Dame Cathedral. All of these heads and statues were buried during the French revolution and were not discovered until 1977.

Also in the room of Notre Dame was a statue of Adam (The delightful statue of Adam according to the guide book!) so since my name is Adam I decided to get my picture beside it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite room that we visited was the room which showed the six tapestries of the Lady and the Unicorn. Each of the six tapestries shows a lady (usually in the middle of the image). Also in each of the images there is a lion and a unicorn carrying the coats of arms. Another fact about the tapestries is that all of them are based on the same location: on a blue “island” with a scarlet red background filled with flowers. Also out of the six tapestries five of them represent the five senses.

(Sight) In this picture the lady is holding a hand mirror in her right hand, and the unicorn (resting beside her) can see itself in the reflection.

 

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 (Hearing) The image which is shown in this tapestry shows the lady playing a portable organ and the bellows of the organ are being worked by her maidservant.

(Smell) The lady who is weaving a garland of the flowers on the (island), and she is also holding on the tips of her fingers a carnation that she had just picked from the basket held by the maidservant.

 

(Taste) The lady takes out a confectionery from a dish the maidservant offers her.

 

 (Touch) The lady in this tapestry is holding onto a standard bearing the arms of the patron with her right hand and touches the unicorn’s horn with her left hand.

Then there is still the final (sixth) tapestry. This one is known as “A Mon Sevl Desir” in English it is (my only desire)

 No one has ever known what her desire is but there have been assumptions made. Some people say it is the sixth sense (love), which could likely correct; some say that the word “Desir” is referred to one of the meanings of the Latin Desiderium, which means “appeasement” or “regret”. In this case then, the tapestry probably suggests a renunciation of the pleasure of the senses. As Alain Erlande-Brandenburg shows very well that the young girl in this tapestry does not take jewels from the box which is being held out by her maidservant, but she is putting in the necklace that she is wearing, as if to show her desire to release herself from all of the passions that are unleashed by poorly-controlled senses. The sixth tapestry is then presenting an apology for free will and self-control, which then makes the meaning of “A Mon Sevl Desir” “according to my will only” Then again there are so many more assumptions about the sixth tapestry. I personally think both opinions are very sensible.

After that room we visited the last few displays on the second floor, which were some cool jewelry, more big pictures and portraits and the last one which was also interesting, the room of medieval armor and weapons. I thought this room was really cool because it gave you a good idea of what they used to defend themselves with and what they used as weapons in the medieval days.

 

 Then we just ended back at the gift shop and entrance. I really enjoyed the Musee de Cluny, it was one of my many highlights of my visit in Paris.  

 

  

Submitted by :

Adam Orr