Archaeology Magazine - April 1970 - 75

Chalice, the polychromed statue of
the Virgin from the Strasbourg
Cathedral, the Pucelle Book of
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux, and the
monumental brass Eagle Lectern
from Louvain. The Strasbourg Virgin was purchased for The Cloisters
in 1946. It was first positivelyidentified and published by the late
James J. Rorimer, past Director of
the Metropolitan and The Cloisters.
He identifiedthe work through some
17th century drawings. It is dated
to the 13th century and in style is
connected with the lovely statues
in the Church of Ste. Chapelle in
Paris.
The Pucelle Book of Hours was
acquired in 1954 from an important
private French collection.It is dated
between 1325 and 1328and was illuminated in grisaille (monochromatic painting in shades of gray,
usually simulating sculpture) with
a little color (on vellum, a rare
treatment) by the master, Jean Pucelle, for the Queen of France,
Jeanne d'Evreux, wife of Charles
IV. It is a book of prayers for the
day and is written in Latin. It was
willed by the Queen to Charles V
and is known to have been in the
collectionof the Duke of Berry.
The enormous 15th century brass
lectern from Louvain was acquired
by The Cloisters in 1968 from the
collection of Oscott College, a Roman Catholic institution northwest
of London. It is one of the most
as the most magThe SilverAntiochChalice,acknowledged
important examples of late Gothic
nificentearly Christian (5th century) chaliceor eucharist
metalwork. Standing over six and
cup known.It was found in Syriain the region of Antioch
a half feet high and made entirely
and prior to its acquisitionfor The Cloistersin 1950, was
of
cast and chased brass, it is the
ownedby a prominentSyrianscholar,FahimKouchakji.
largest and most elaborate lectern
known to still be in existence.Acfrom April 8 through June 8, 1970. cording to tradition, the lecternwas
Mediaeval Treasures Travel
The array of masterpieces for made about 1500 for the Collegiate
From January 13 through March the loan exhibit presents a complete Church of St. Peter in Louvain,
8, 1970 an exhibition entitled "The survey of the development of me- where it probably stood on the
Middle Ages: Treasures from The
diaeval art from the early Christian north side of the altar. The work
Cloisters and The Metropolitan era into the sixteenth century. They has been attributed to Aert van
Museum of Art," was on view reveal the high quality of expression Tricht the Elder of Maastricht (rein Frances and Armand Hammer and technical skill with which the gion of the Meuse).
Included among the numerous
Wing of the Los Angeles County mediaeval artist worked in every
Museum of Art. This was the first medium, includingsculpture, manu- outstanding pieces from the metime since 1925 when John D.
script illumination, enamels, ivories, diaeval collection of the Museum
Rockefeller,Jr. presented the Met- metalwork and tapestries. The ob- are some of the silver dishes illusropolitan Museum of Art with the jects were created in workshops trating the life of David and the
resourcesto purchase and maintain throughout Western Europe and the tapestry of the Courtiers. The sila first-rate American collection of Eastern Mediterranean- in Chris- ver dishes were found on Cyprus
mediaeval sculpture and architec- tian Egypt and Syria, the Byzantine at Karavas near Kyrenia in 1902
tural material and thereby founded Empire, Italy, Spain, France, Ger- and were a gift to the Museum in
The Cloisters,that any or its world many and the Netherlands.
1917 by J. P. Morgan. They have
acclaimed works have been seen
Among the world famous mas- been dated by five stamps on the
back of each to the time of Heraelsewhere.The exhibit is also being terpieces in the show from The
held at the Chicago Art Institute Cloisters are the celebrated Antioch clius (early 7th century) and could
155

Archaeology Magazine - April 1970

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Archaeology Magazine - April 1970