we've had a friend visiting from florida. abigail is the daughter of a high school friend of greg's, and she is visiting while on her way to france to work on a farm. this morning we had breakfast with chanda at sweet life cafe, before driving with abigail up to the cloisters.
it was a raw and grey day, but the cloister gardens felt warm and inviting. they put up a glass barricade in the winter, probably more to protect the artwork than for the comfort of the visitors.
at one o'clock with joined the museum tour with a wonderful guide. we started out in the cloister of saint-guilhem, from the late 12th century. 140 stone fragments were taken from this benedictine abbey located in montpelier, france.
we then moved into the large cloister that makes up the center of the museum which is the benedictine monastery of saint michel de cuxa, from near the pyrenees. the artisans carved many strange figures into the pillars: demons clutching ape-like figures, beasts devouring men, and "hunkering" lions. to help reconstruct the fragments here in the city, they obtained stone from the original twelfth century quarry.
an unknown knight who was buried with his sword which must have been special to be depicted with him. our tour guide pointed out how more life-like this sculpture is, as the leather scabbard is falling to the side from the weight of the sword.
at his feet is a lion, watching over him and symbolizing his bravery.
explaining one of the meanings of the unicorn tapestry . . marriage and fertility symbolized by pomegranate seeds and carnation and orchid flowers.
overlooking new jersey in the herb garden . .
the sleeping winter herb garden . .
taking photos of the inwood neighborhood below.
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