Whether we refer to it as the Middle Ages, the Dark Ages or simply just Medieval times, the period between 500 and about 1500 AD was an intense time to be alive in Europe. War, plague, climate change and famine were standard faire during this time period, yet one of the resultant benefits was some outstanding art.

The "Musee de Cluny" or National Museum of the Middle Ages, located in Paris, France is a place that all Middle Ages enthusiasts should see. I took a trip there this month and, despite a complete absence of religiosity on my part, I was stunned at the beauty of works contained in this collection.

Recall that the Middle Ages were a time of extreme piety, and the Holy Roman Empire ruled the day. Much of the art I will share here is reflective of artisan commitment to extreme religiosity, and churches were often the best preservers of artistic antiquities.

Middle Ages Building for a Middle Ages Museum

The building housing the Middle Ages collection is a work of art itself, located in the 5th Arrondisment in Paris, France.

The Collection

The Middle Ages Collection spans artworks such as sculpture, a massive stained glass collection, books, religious artifacts, weaponry, and the most impressive amount of woven tapestries I have ever seen.

Sculpture and Statuary

A stunning carving and painting combination. The elaborate nature of the carving work is beyond comprehension.

I believe this is a priest.

This is a display entitled, "Heads of Kings". The bodies matching the heads were behind me, standing about 8 feet tall. It was not uncommon during war times for opposing forces to deface or destroy statuary of the enemy. These we heads of actual kings.

Coat of Arms from 950 AD. This is actually a headstone.

The Tapestries

I simply cannot find the words to express the intensity of the tapestries in this collection. Not only are they massive, but they are incredibly intricate and detailed for woven works of art. I cannot even imagine how they were made. The above photo is of only ONE room containing tapestries. There were several. Notice the size? Just wow. The tapestries depict everything from daily hunting trips, to jousting matches to religious ceremonies.

Check out the king and queen watching a jousting match!

Books

If you are ready to be terrified, check out this book on medicine.

This book is about building. The section displayed provides instruction on hearth building.

The Stained Glass

While I wont go into detail describing each piece, please do take a close look at this astonishing lost art form. You will notice that the stained glass is painted (from the back) in exquisite detail.

Armor & Weapons

I apologize for the crappy photos here, but the goods were behind glass and the lighting was abysmal. Displayed below are samples of chain-mail, shields, helmets a sword and a knife.

Miscellaneous

A chair fit for a king.

A breathtaking painting.

A mirror, much like the one we see in Van Dyk's painting "The Wedding", from the 1500s.

The most Gothic serving dish in the history of ever-time.

Conclusion

It is impossible for me to share all of the amazing pictures I took at this fascinating museum--which is good, because I want you to go see the rest of it yourself. The Middle Ages is a fascinating (and terrifying) period of time in human history, and I have never seen so many artifacts from this time period in one place.

The next time you are in Paris, take some time on a rainy day to step back fifteen hundred years into the past. It it a trip well worth you time!

Happy travels.

After the museum, I went to Notre Dame!