The Cloisters

Portal from the Church of San Leonardo al Frigido, ca. 1170–1180 Italian; Made in Tuscany White Carrara marble, grayish marble; 13 ft. 2 in. x 76 in. (401.3 x 193 cm) The Cloisters Collection, 1962 (62.189) Dedicated to Saint Leonard, the patron saint of prisoners, this portal served as the main entrance of the small Church of San Leonardo al Frigido. An antique sarcophagus was reused for the supporting jambs on the sides of the door; it was carved to show scenes of the Annunciation and the Visitation on the left and an image of Saint Leonard holding an emblematic prisoner on the right. The Entry into Jerusalem on the lintel is modeled after an Early Christian tomb relief. The doorway is a product of the workshop of Master Biduino, who worked in the Pisa-Lucca area. Text from: www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/the_cl...

Portal from the Church of San Leonardo al Frigido, ca. 1170–1180 Italian; Made in Tuscany White Carrara marble, grayish marble; 13 ft. 2 in. x 76 in. (401.3 x 193 cm) The Cloisters Collection, 1962 (62.189) Dedicated to Saint Leonard, the patron saint of prisoners, this portal served as the main entrance of the small Church of San Leonardo al Frigido. An antique sarcophagus was reused for the supporting jambs on the sides of the door; it was carved to show scenes of the Annunciation and the Visitation on the left and an image of Saint Leonard holding an emblematic prisoner on the right. The Entry into Jerusalem on the lintel is modeled after an Early Christian tomb relief. The doorway is a product of the workshop of Master Biduino, who worked in the Pisa-Lucca area. Text from: www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/the_cl...

Saint-Guilhem Cloister, late 12th century French Limestone; 30 ft. 3 in. x 23 ft. 10 in. (922 x 726 cm) The Cloisters Collection, 1925 (25.120.1-.134) Situated in a valley near Montpellier in southern France, the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert was founded in 804 by Guilhem (Guillaume) au Court-Nez, duke of Aquitaine and a member of Charlemagne's court. By the twelfth century, the abbey had been named in honor of its founder and had become an important site on one of the pilgrimage roads that ran through France to the holy shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. With the steady visits of travelers en route to the shrine and the gifts they brought with them, a period of prosperity came to the monastery. By 1206 a new, two-story cloister had been built at Saint-Guilhem, incorporating the columns and pilasters from the upper gallery seen here. Most of these columns are medieval versions of the classical Corinthian column, based on the spiny leaf of the acanthus. This floral ornamentation is treated in a variety of ways. Naturalistic acanthus, with clustered blossoms and precise detailing, is juxtaposed with decoration in low, flat relief, swirling vine forms, and even the conventionalized bark of palm trees. Among the most beautiful capitals are those embellished by drill holes, sometimes in an intricate honeycomb pattern. Like the adaptation of the acanthus-leaf decoration, this prolific use of the drill must have been inspired by the remains of Roman sculpture readily available in southern France at the time. The drilled dark areas contrast with the cream-colored limestone and give the foliage a crisp lacy look that is elegant and sophisticated. Like other French monasteries, Saint-Guilhem suffered greatly in the religious wars following the Reformation and during the French Revolution, when it was sold to a stonemason. The damages were so severe that there is now no way of determining the original dimensions of the cloister or the number and sequence of its columns. Those collected here served in the nineteenth century as grape-arbor supports and ornaments in the garden of a justice of the peace in nearby Aniane. They were purchased by the American sculptor George Grey Barnard before the First World War and brought to this country. A portion of the original cloister remains at Saint-Guilhem. Text from: www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/the_cl...

Saint-Guilhem Cloister, late 12th century French Limestone; 30 ft. 3 in. x 23 ft. 10 in. (922 x 726 cm) The Cloisters Collection, 1925 (25.120.1-.134) Situated in a valley near Montpellier in southern France, the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert was founded in 804 by Guilhem (Guillaume) au Court-Nez, duke of Aquitaine and a member of Charlemagne's court. By the twelfth century, the abbey had been named in honor of its founder and had become an important site on one of the pilgrimage roads that ran through France to the holy shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. With the steady visits of travelers en route to the shrine and the gifts they brought with them, a period of prosperity came to the monastery. By 1206 a new, two-story cloister had been built at Saint-Guilhem, incorporating the columns and pilasters from the upper gallery seen here. Most of these columns are medieval versions of the classical Corinthian column, based on the spiny leaf of the acanthus. This floral ornamentation is treated in a variety of ways. Naturalistic acanthus, with clustered blossoms and precise detailing, is juxtaposed with decoration in low, flat relief, swirling vine forms, and even the conventionalized bark of palm trees. Among the most beautiful capitals are those embellished by drill holes, sometimes in an intricate honeycomb pattern. Like the adaptation of the acanthus-leaf decoration, this prolific use of the drill must have been inspired by the remains of Roman sculpture readily available in southern France at the time. The drilled dark areas contrast with the cream-colored limestone and give the foliage a crisp lacy look that is elegant and sophisticated. Like other French monasteries, Saint-Guilhem suffered greatly in the religious wars following the Reformation and during the French Revolution, when it was sold to a stonemason. The damages were so severe that there is now no way of determining the original dimensions of the cloister or the number and sequence of its columns. Those collected here served in the nineteenth century as grape-arbor supports and ornaments in the garden of a justice of the peace in nearby Aniane. They were purchased by the American sculptor George Grey Barnard before the First World War and brought to this country. A portion of the original cloister remains at Saint-Guilhem. Text from: www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/the_cl...

Saint-Guilhem Cloister, late 12th century French Limestone; 30 ft. 3 in. x 23 ft. 10 in. (922 x 726 cm) The Cloisters Collection, 1925 (25.120.1-.134) Situated in a valley near Montpellier in southern France, the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert was founded in 804 by Guilhem (Guillaume) au Court-Nez, duke of Aquitaine and a member of Charlemagne's court. By the twelfth century, the abbey had been named in honor of its founder and had become an important site on one of the pilgrimage roads that ran through France to the holy shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. With the steady visits of travelers en route to the shrine and the gifts they brought with them, a period of prosperity came to the monastery. By 1206 a new, two-story cloister had been built at Saint-Guilhem, incorporating the columns and pilasters from the upper gallery seen here. Most of these columns are medieval versions of the classical Corinthian column, based on the spiny leaf of the acanthus. This floral ornamentation is treated in a variety of ways. Naturalistic acanthus, with clustered blossoms and precise detailing, is juxtaposed with decoration in low, flat relief, swirling vine forms, and even the conventionalized bark of palm trees. Among the most beautiful capitals are those embellished by drill holes, sometimes in an intricate honeycomb pattern. Like the adaptation of the acanthus-leaf decoration, this prolific use of the drill must have been inspired by the remains of Roman sculpture readily available in southern France at the time. The drilled dark areas contrast with the cream-colored limestone and give the foliage a crisp lacy look that is elegant and sophisticated. Like other French monasteries, Saint-Guilhem suffered greatly in the religious wars following the Reformation and during the French Revolution, when it was sold to a stonemason. The damages were so severe that there is now no way of determining the original dimensions of the cloister or the number and sequence of its columns. Those collected here served in the nineteenth century as grape-arbor supports and ornaments in the garden of a justice of the peace in nearby Aniane. They were purchased by the American sculptor George Grey Barnard before the First World War and brought to this country. A portion of the original cloister remains at Saint-Guilhem. Text from: www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/the_cl...

Saint-Guilhem Cloister, late 12th century French Limestone; 30 ft. 3 in. x 23 ft. 10 in. (922 x 726 cm) The Cloisters Collection, 1925 (25.120.1-.134) Situated in a valley near Montpellier in southern France, the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert was founded in 804 by Guilhem (Guillaume) au Court-Nez, duke of Aquitaine and a member of Charlemagne's court. By the twelfth century, the abbey had been named in honor of its founder and had become an important site on one of the pilgrimage roads that ran through France to the holy shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. With the steady visits of travelers en route to the shrine and the gifts they brought with them, a period of prosperity came to the monastery. By 1206 a new, two-story cloister had been built at Saint-Guilhem, incorporating the columns and pilasters from the upper gallery seen here. Most of these columns are medieval versions of the classical Corinthian column, based on the spiny leaf of the acanthus. This floral ornamentation is treated in a variety of ways. Naturalistic acanthus, with clustered blossoms and precise detailing, is juxtaposed with decoration in low, flat relief, swirling vine forms, and even the conventionalized bark of palm trees. Among the most beautiful capitals are those embellished by drill holes, sometimes in an intricate honeycomb pattern. Like the adaptation of the acanthus-leaf decoration, this prolific use of the drill must have been inspired by the remains of Roman sculpture readily available in southern France at the time. The drilled dark areas contrast with the cream-colored limestone and give the foliage a crisp lacy look that is elegant and sophisticated. Like other French monasteries, Saint-Guilhem suffered greatly in the religious wars following the Reformation and during the French Revolution, when it was sold to a stonemason. The damages were so severe that there is now no way of determining the original dimensions of the cloister or the number and sequence of its columns. Those collected here served in the nineteenth century as grape-arbor supports and ornaments in the garden of a justice of the peace in nearby Aniane. They were purchased by the American sculptor George Grey Barnard before the First World War and brought to this country. A portion of the original cloister remains at Saint-Guilhem. Text from: www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/the_cl...

Saint-Guilhem Cloister, late 12th century French Limestone; 30 ft. 3 in. x 23 ft. 10 in. (922 x 726 cm) The Cloisters Collection, 1925 (25.120.1-.134) Situated in a valley near Montpellier in southern France, the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert was founded in 804 by Guilhem (Guillaume) au Court-Nez, duke of Aquitaine and a member of Charlemagne's court. By the twelfth century, the abbey had been named in honor of its founder and had become an important site on one of the pilgrimage roads that ran through France to the holy shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. With the steady visits of travelers en route to the shrine and the gifts they brought with them, a period of prosperity came to the monastery. By 1206 a new, two-story cloister had been built at Saint-Guilhem, incorporating the columns and pilasters from the upper gallery seen here. Most of these columns are medieval versions of the classical Corinthian column, based on the spiny leaf of the acanthus. This floral ornamentation is treated in a variety of ways. Naturalistic acanthus, with clustered blossoms and precise detailing, is juxtaposed with decoration in low, flat relief, swirling vine forms, and even the conventionalized bark of palm trees. Among the most beautiful capitals are those embellished by drill holes, sometimes in an intricate honeycomb pattern. Like the adaptation of the acanthus-leaf decoration, this prolific use of the drill must have been inspired by the remains of Roman sculpture readily available in southern France at the time. The drilled dark areas contrast with the cream-colored limestone and give the foliage a crisp lacy look that is elegant and sophisticated. Like other French monasteries, Saint-Guilhem suffered greatly in the religious wars following the Reformation and during the French Revolution, when it was sold to a stonemason. The damages were so severe that there is now no way of determining the original dimensions of the cloister or the number and sequence of its columns. Those collected here served in the nineteenth century as grape-arbor supports and ornaments in the garden of a justice of the peace in nearby Aniane. They were purchased by the American sculptor George Grey Barnard before the First World War and brought to this country. A portion of the original cloister remains at Saint-Guilhem. Text from: www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/the_cl...

Saint-Guilhem Cloister, late 12th century French Limestone; 30 ft. 3 in. x 23 ft. 10 in. (922 x 726 cm) The Cloisters Collection, 1925 (25.120.1-.134) Situated in a valley near Montpellier in southern France, the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert was founded in 804 by Guilhem (Guillaume) au Court-Nez, duke of Aquitaine and a member of Charlemagne's court. By the twelfth century, the abbey had been named in honor of its founder and had become an important site on one of the pilgrimage roads that ran through France to the holy shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. With the steady visits of travelers en route to the shrine and the gifts they brought with them, a period of prosperity came to the monastery. By 1206 a new, two-story cloister had been built at Saint-Guilhem, incorporating the columns and pilasters from the upper gallery seen here. Most of these columns are medieval versions of the classical Corinthian column, based on the spiny leaf of the acanthus. This floral ornamentation is treated in a variety of ways. Naturalistic acanthus, with clustered blossoms and precise detailing, is juxtaposed with decoration in low, flat relief, swirling vine forms, and even the conventionalized bark of palm trees. Among the most beautiful capitals are those embellished by drill holes, sometimes in an intricate honeycomb pattern. Like the adaptation of the acanthus-leaf decoration, this prolific use of the drill must have been inspired by the remains of Roman sculpture readily available in southern France at the time. The drilled dark areas contrast with the cream-colored limestone and give the foliage a crisp lacy look that is elegant and sophisticated. Like other French monasteries, Saint-Guilhem suffered greatly in the religious wars following the Reformation and during the French Revolution, when it was sold to a stonemason. The damages were so severe that there is now no way of determining the original dimensions of the cloister or the number and sequence of its columns. Those collected here served in the nineteenth century as grape-arbor supports and ornaments in the garden of a justice of the peace in nearby Aniane. They were purchased by the American sculptor George Grey Barnard before the First World War and brought to this country. A portion of the original cloister remains at Saint-Guilhem. Text from: www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/the_cl...

Saint-Guilhem Cloister, late 12th century French Limestone; 30 ft. 3 in. x 23 ft. 10 in. (922 x 726 cm) The Cloisters Collection, 1925 (25.120.1-.134) Situated in a valley near Montpellier in southern France, the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert was founded in 804 by Guilhem (Guillaume) au Court-Nez, duke of Aquitaine and a member of Charlemagne's court. By the twelfth century, the abbey had been named in honor of its founder and had become an important site on one of the pilgrimage roads that ran through France to the holy shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. With the steady visits of travelers en route to the shrine and the gifts they brought with them, a period of prosperity came to the monastery. By 1206 a new, two-story cloister had been built at Saint-Guilhem, incorporating the columns and pilasters from the upper gallery seen here. Most of these columns are medieval versions of the classical Corinthian column, based on the spiny leaf of the acanthus. This floral ornamentation is treated in a variety of ways. Naturalistic acanthus, with clustered blossoms and precise detailing, is juxtaposed with decoration in low, flat relief, swirling vine forms, and even the conventionalized bark of palm trees. Among the most beautiful capitals are those embellished by drill holes, sometimes in an intricate honeycomb pattern. Like the adaptation of the acanthus-leaf decoration, this prolific use of the drill must have been inspired by the remains of Roman sculpture readily available in southern France at the time. The drilled dark areas contrast with the cream-colored limestone and give the foliage a crisp lacy look that is elegant and sophisticated. Like other French monasteries, Saint-Guilhem suffered greatly in the religious wars following the Reformation and during the French Revolution, when it was sold to a stonemason. The damages were so severe that there is now no way of determining the original dimensions of the cloister or the number and sequence of its columns. Those collected here served in the nineteenth century as grape-arbor supports and ornaments in the garden of a justice of the peace in nearby Aniane. They were purchased by the American sculptor George Grey Barnard before the First World War and brought to this country. A portion of the original cloister remains at Saint-Guilhem. Text from: www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/the_cl...

Cistern or font Lead, cast France (Angouleme?), 13th century Accession Number: 33.21.1 Similar lead cisterns have been found in churches in the region of Toulouse, where they were placed on stone columns and used as baptismal fonts. The two bands of decoration are filled with griffins, lions, centaurs and dragons. Text from the Cloisters label.

Cistern or font Lead, cast France (Angouleme?), 13th century Accession Number: 33.21.1 Similar lead cisterns have been found in churches in the region of Toulouse, where they were placed on stone columns and used as baptismal fonts. The two bands of decoration are filled with griffins, lions, centaurs and dragons. Text from the Cloisters label.

Seated Figure (Prophet or Apostle?) Carrara marble and lead inlay Italy, Tuscany (Lucca), about 1180-1200 Attributed to the Master of Santa Maria la Bianca Accession # 47.101.19 The drapery of this seated prophet is characteristic of late-twelfth-century sculpture in Lucca, in particular the works of the Master of Santa Maria la Bianca. The architectonic function of the figure is uncertain, but it may originally have supported a public lectern and have been adapted to support a column or an arcade. Because of liturgical reforms, many medieval Italian pulpits were dismantled and their parts reused in other structures. The ropelike folds and ample use of drill work derive from the work of the Pisan sculptor Master Biduino but here are developed abstractly, emphasizing surface pattern. Text from the Cloisters label.

Fragment of a Figure Carrara marble Italy, Tuscany (probably Lucca), early 13th century Accession # 57.63 With a water flask slung over its shoulder, this figure may represent Joseph on the flight into Egypt or the apostle James the Great, patron saint of pilgrims. In this period, niches with figures of pilgrims ornamented the pilgrimage routes. The extensive use of the drill and the swirling drapery pattern are hallmarks of sculpture produced in Lucca around 1200. Text from the Cloisters label.

Portion of a Pilaster Capital with an Acrobat, ca. 1150–1170 French; From the Abbey of Saint-Martin-de-Savigny (now destroyed), near Lyon Limestone; H. 12 in. (30.5 cm), W. 9 in. (22.9 cm), D. 11 in. (27.9 cm) The Cloisters Collection, Purchase, 1947 (47.101.25) Carved on the corner of what appears to have been the capital from a pilaster (projecting pier), a youthful acrobat contorts his body into a reverse arc. As if springing out from an acanthus background, the acrobat clutches his ankle with his chin touching the ground. Musicians and acrobats often appear in manuscripts and sculptures of the eleventh and twelfth century, amusing reminders of the world beyond the walls of the church or monastery. Text from: www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/arch/ho_47.101.25.htm

Fragment of a relief with three clerics Limestone France, Champagne or Ile-de-France, about 1160-1180 Accession #: 47.101.22 Although its origin is unknown, this early example of tomb decoration incorporating mourning clerics closely resembles some of the tomb figures at Reims Cathedral. The metallic precision of the carving and the abundant folds of drapery falling in a chevron pattern link the fragment to goldsmiths' work. Text from the Cloisters label.

Pulpit Relief with the Symbol of Saint Luke Limestone inlaid with lead Italy, Abruzzi, about 1180 Master Stephanus and Workshop From the church of San Michele Archangelo at San Vittorino Accession # 1984.197 This relief depicts an ox, the symbol of Saint Luke, holding a book with an inscription from the opening of his Gospel. A second inscription refers to the master sculptor Stephanus and his associates. Nothing more is known of the sculptor, but the hallmarks of his style, with its crispness and richness of decorative forms contrasting with plain surfaces, are characteristic of sculpture in Abruzzi during the late 12th century. Because of changes in the liturgy promulgated at the Council of Trent (1544-68), medieval pulpits were frequently dismantled and their parts scattered. Text from the Cloisters label.

Pulpit Relief with the Annunciation Carrara Marble inlaid with serpentine Italy, Tuscany, about 1200 From the church of San Piero Scheraggio at Florence Accession # 60.140 This relief is one of seven panels decorating a pulpit in the church of San Piero Scheraggio, which was dismantled sometime between 1410 and 1755. In medieval Italy, pulpits were used for the reading of the Gospels and the Epistles and were located on the south side of the choir. Here, the Virgin and the archangel Gabriel stand in separate niches under a city wall. The fluid treatment of the drapery, the form of the figures, and the combination of narrative reliefs with a background of inlaid serpentine are characteristic of Florentine sculpture around 1200. Text from the Cloisters label.

The Romanesque Langon Chapel, on the building’s [the Cloister's] west side, contains part of the interior stonework from a 12th century church in southwestern France. Text from: www.washington-heights.us/history/archives/cloisters_fort...