Two exciting exhibitions at the Musée de Cluny
The Musée de Cluny in Paris - which reopened in 2022 and is the only national museum in France dedicated to the Middle Ages - currently has on view two exciting exhibitions related to the recent reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral.
"Making Stones Speak: Notre-Dame's Medieval Sculptures" - on view 19 November 2024 to 16 March 2025 - focuses attention on the medieval carved decorations from the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Not since the early 1980s have cathedral sculptures in storage at the museum been the subject of such in-depth research. The exhibition vows to deepen knowledge on these collections by revealing the findings of a major research and restoration programme, underway since 2022.
In addition to works usually on display in the Notre-Dame’s sculpture hall are pieces never before shown to the public. A selection of fragments allow us to imagine what has disappeared from the cathedral today, such as the bodies of the colossal statues in the Gallery of King.
Along the visitor route, almost 120 works are interspersed with carved decorations from both the exterior and interior of the Notre-Dame before the damage inflicted in modern times. Furthermore, the exhibition features loans from major institutions such as the Musée du Louvre and Musée Carnavalet – Histoire de Paris, as well as stonework from the cathedral and private collections, which provide context to these works and explore the subject in greater depth.
The second exhibition - "Leafing Through Notre-Dame: Masterpieces of the Medieval Library" - is on view from 19 November 2024 to 16 March 2025.
The exhibition features manuscripts from the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), demonstrating that the history of Notre-Dame cannot be solely defined by its famous building. Books, manuscripts, and prints are also part of the rich history and heritage of the cathedral.
These two exhibitions are sure to enhance the experiences of the visiting the newly reopened cathedral of Notre-Dame. To learn more about the medieval history of the building, check out the issue 15 of Medieval World: Culture & Conflict, dedicated to Notre-Dame.
