Kicking Off the New Year With a Visit to the Cloisters Museum in Washington Heights, New York

Annunciation Triptych (Merode Altarpiece) workshop of Robert Campin
(Ca. 1375-1444), oil on oak, South Netherlandish, Tournai, ca. 1427-32

What better way to kick off the new year than with a visit to the Cloisters Museum in Washington Heights, New York? Following our festive familial New Year’s Eve celebration and Traditional Latin Mass for the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord, we took a short excursion to one of New York’s great Medieval European art collections. In addition to strengthening my Faith through prayer, meditation, and the sacraments, one of my many goals for 2025 is to immerse myself in sacred art, music, and literature.

We look forward to sharing these edifying blessings with you throughout the coming year. Felice Anno Nuovo a tutti!

A view of the Hudson River from the Linden Terrace in Fort Tryon Park

Approaching the museum from one of the park's trails

Nearing the postern gate entrance

Dragon, fresco transferred to canvas, Spanish, Castile-León, ca. 1200

The Romanesque Apse of San Martín de Fuentidueña with architectural sculptures of St. Martin of Tours and the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, limestone, Spanish, Castile-León, ca. 1175-1200, from the church of of San Martin at Fuentidueña, near Sergovia. Fresco with the Virgin and Child in Majesty and the Adoration of the Magi from the church of Era Mare de Diu de Cap d'Aran, near Tredòs, Spain. Crucifix, white oak with paint, gold lief, and tin leaf (corpus); softwood with paint and tin leaf (cross); Spanish, Castile-León, ca. 1150-1200

Lion Relief, sandstone with traces of paint, Spanish, Castile-León,
ca. 1200, from the church of San Leonardo at Zamora.

(L) Relief from a pulpit with the symbol of St. Luke, limestone with lead,
ca. 1180, Abruzzo, Master Christophanus or Stephanus (active late 12th
century), and his workshop. (R) The Unicorn Rests in a Garden (from the
Unicorn tapestries), 1495-1505, French (cartoon)/South Netherlandish
(woven), wool warp with wool, silk, silver, and gilt wefts

(L) Lion, copper alloy, German, Franconia, ca. 1400.
(R) Falconer, copper alloy, German, Franconia, 13th century

Reliquary Shrine, attributed to Jean de Touyl (died 1349/50), gilded silver, translucent enamel, and paint, French, Paris, ca. 1325-50

(L) Reliquary Bust of St. Juliana, circle of Giovanni di Bartolo (Sienese,
active 1364-1404) gilded copper, gesso, and tempera, ca. 1376, from
the convent of St. Giuliana at Perugia. (R) Ewers with Wild Men
Finials, silver gilt, enamel, and paint, German, late 15th century

(L-R) Detail of Ewers with Wild Men finials

(L) Reliquary Cross, gilded silver, rock crystal, and glass cabochons; wood core, French, Limoges, ca. 1180. (R) Standing Virgin and Child, boxwood, attributed to Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden (active ca. 1462-73), probably Vienna, ca. 1470

The Cloisters Apocalypse, or Book of Revelation, tempera,
gold, silver, and ink on parchment, French, Normandy, ca. 1330

(L) Lectern in the Form of an Eagle, brass, attributed to Jehen Aert van
Tricht (active 1492-1501), South Netherlandish, Limburg, Maastricht,
ca. 1500. (R) Deep Dish (Brasero) with Eagle, tin-glazed and lustered
earthenware, Spanish, Valencia, Manises, ca. 1450-70

(L) St. Michael, Master of Belmonte (active ca. 1460-90), tempera, oil, gold, and silver on wood, Spanish, Aragon, ca. 1460-90, from the high altar of the parish church of San Miguel at Belmonte, southwest of Saragossa. (R) St. Michael, wood with paint and gilding, Spanish, Castile-León, probably Burgos, ca. 1530

Tomb of Ermengol X, Count of Urgell, limestone with traces of paint, Catalan,
Lerida, ca. 1300-1350, from the Premonstratensian monastery of
Santa Maria de Bellpuig de les Avellanes, near Lerida, Spain

A Knight of the d'Aluye Family, limestone, French, Loire Valley, after 1258-by
1267, from the Cistercian abbey of La Clarté-Dieu, north of Tours

A Knight of the d'Aluye Family, limestone, French, Loire Valley, after 1258-by
1267, from the Cistercian abbey of La Clarté-Dieu, north of Tours

Detail of A Knight of the d'Aluye Family with hands palm to palm in prayer

Detail of Tomb Effigy of a Lady, limestone, French, Normandy, mid 13th
century, from the priory of Notre-Dame-du-Bosc, near Le Neubourg

Tomb Effigy of a Lady, limestone, French, Normandy, mid 13th century,
from the priory of Notre-Dame-du-Bosc, near Le Neubourg

(L) Double Tomb of Alvar Rodrigo de Cabrera, Count of Urgell, and His Wife, Cecilia of Foix. (R) Tomb of Ermengol VII, Count of Urgell. All three tombs are all limestone with traces of paint, Catalan, Lerida, ca. 1300-1350 and from the Premonstratensian monastery of Santa Maria de Bellpuig de les Avellanes, Spain

Tomb Effigy of a Boy, probably Ermengol IX, Count of Urgell, Limestone
with traces of paint, Catalan, Lerida, ca. 1300-1350, from the church
of Santa Maria at Castelló de Ferfanya, near Lerida, Spain