Voyage dans le cristal, the sparkling exhibition at the Musée de Cluny - our photos

Our Anglo-Saxon friends use the expression "cristal clear" to describe something that is clear. This phrase aptly characterizes this very special mineral, which has fascinated many civilizations for centuries. The Musée de Cluny invitesus to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding this quartz, in a brand-new exhibition presented from September 26, 2023 to January 14, 2024.

Voyage dans le cristal brings together over 200 objects of art, history and craftsmanship, half of which date back to the Middle Ages. In partnership with the Musée du Louvre, the Musée de Cluny is organizing a major historical and thematic tour of the uses and beliefs associated with rock crystal.

This mineral has fascinated people for centuries: it comes from the depths of the Earth, yet shines through its transparency. Its virtues and luxurious qualities were attributed to it: health, spirituality or even magic, it was appreciated by kings, members of the Church and scientists alike, fascinated by its properties.

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The exhibition at the Musée de Cluny explores these peculiarities and symbolism in six fascinating chapters. It naturally begins with a scientific explanation of this mineral: geology is used here, as are the models of Romé de l'Isle, the French physicist and mineralogist of the Age of Enlightenment, considered to be the father of modern crystallography .

The exhibition then crosses eras and societies to discover the uses to which crystal is put. Luxury tableware , jewelry and accessories, decorative objects, religious objects, royal sceptre, scientific instrument, watches... Some associate crystal with the idea of purity, transforming it into a material worthy of kings and the Church, while others see the transparency of this mineral as a useful tool for their work. The exhibition concludes with an original installation bycontemporary artist Patrick Neu, who has created his own work in relation to the exhibition and the objects on display.

Part art, part history, part science, this fine exhibition features a host of exceptional objects and an unexpected but fascinating theme. See it in September!