Fantastic figures are everywhere in the imaginary of the Middle Ages: fire-breathing dragons, majestic unicorns and other astonishing creatures were the subject of numerous myths and legends at that time. This rich medieval bestiary, between reality and symbolism, inspired European artistic creation of the early Middle Ages and the Gothic period.
During this talk, L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, invites you on a journey to discover these fantastic figures through the lens of precious arts, particularly textiles and goldsmithing. One will observe how these creatures are depicted through the study of lampas, croziers, reliquaries and jewels dating from the medieval period.
This talk will be broadcast online from the Musée de Cluny, the French national museum of the Middle Ages. Located in the heart of Paris, it is the only national museum in France entirely devoted to the Middle Ages. . Named after the abbots of Cluny, the private mansion hosting the museum is built up against Gallo-Roman baths and provides a privileged setting for over 24,000 works of art.
Join our speakers for an enchanting (re)discovery of the fantastic creatures of the Middle Ages!
Speakers
With Christine Descatoire, Curator & Head of the Musée de Cluny's collections of goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares and western fabrics
&
Inezita Gay-Eckel, Jewelry Historian and Lecturer at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts
Dates
In French with simultaneous translation
available in Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin and English
Monday, July 1st, 2024 at 7pm (Japan time)
In French with simultaneous translation available in English
Tuesday, July 2nd, 2024 at 2 am (Japan time)
Photo:
Mon seul désir, Lady with Unicorn tapestry, circa 1500.
RMN-Grand Palais (musée de Cluny - musée national du Moyen Âge) / Michel Urtado
