Theexhibition Birth of Gothic Sculpture at the Musée de Cluny - Musée national du Moyen-Âge, is on view from October 10 to December 31, 2018. This exhibition takes us back to 1135 to 1150 in the Ile-de-France region.
Exceptional pieces are on display, including an evocation of the medieval cloister of Saint-Denis Abbey, destroyed in the 1750s, thanks to the various sculpted elements of the cloister preserved in various museums. We also note the presence of sculpted decor from the abbey of Sainte-Geneviève, which disappeared in the 19th century.
These elements, details or reconstructed remains from Chartres Cathedral, Saint-Denis Abbey and Notre-Dame de Paris, are fascinating for the accuracy of their detail, very well preserved for pieces 880 years old.
During this period, the construction sites ofSaint-Denis Abbey and Chartres Cathedral were the sites of technical, stylistic and iconographic innovations " in the wake of a changing architecture ". Chartres and Saint-Denis, two high places of power that later came into competition with each other, where " the formation and dissemination of innovative aesthetics were played out in a complex interweaving of borrowings and ruptures ".
The first architectural works of this new art were never dated. Thanks to the scientific reports produced after the various restorations carried out between 1990 and 2010, the exhibition offers " new insights into the early days of Gothic art and its sculptural flowering ".
The lintels of Chartres' Charité-sur-Loire, with their columnar statues and plant decoration, appear to date from 1132, making them the earliest surviving examples of "Gothic" art.
A wonderful discovery of Gothic art, accessible to everyone, from architecture enthusiasts to history buffs!
Dates and Opening Time
From October 10, 2018 to December 31, 2018
Location
Musée du Moyen-Age - Musée de Cluny
28 Rue du Sommerard
75005 Paris 5
Access
Metro line 10 "Cluny - La Sorbonne" station
Prices
Tarif réduit: €7
Plein tarif: €9
Official website
www.musee-moyenage.fr
More information
Open daily except Tuesday, 9.15am to 5.45pm. Closed on December 25th.
