We had a nice turnout for today’s trip to the Met, with seven people gathering to view an interesting mix of paintings and artifacts from the fourteenth century. Afterwards we stopped in the recently-refreshed painting galleries to peek at some of the subsequent developments.
As we noted multiple times during the trip, there are at least a dozen other halls filled with items we’d like to examine on a future visit, so I’m sure we’ll be back again in the months ahead. Keep an eye out for additional announcements and we’d love to have you join us on our next outing!
The Canton of Appleholm invites you to join us on another informal weekend outing to one of our many world-class museums.
On Sunday, December 8, at 2:00 we’ll gather at the Met to view their exhibit “Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300–1350” which highlights some of the artistic developments at the dawn of the renaissance. In addition to large paintings (and so much gold leaf!) the exhibit also includes a few books, textiles, and carvings. Afterwards, we can pass through the recently-reopened European painting galleries, which had been closed for the last few years to allow for renovation of the building’s skylights.
We’ll meet up on the front steps, weather permitting, or in the lobby atrium, and then enter as a group. (If you miss us there, call Mathghamhain at 917-502-7795 to link up inside the museum.) We’ll probably spend about two hours in the museum, and when we’re done some of us may walk over to Madison to get a snack in a local diner.
Visitors with proof of New York State residence may pay any amount to enter (as little as $1) and the same goes for students from NJ and CT; sadly, for other out-of-state visitors or those without ID, admission is an exorbitant $30.
All are welcome to join us. No Society membership or previous experience required. There is no charge to join us. Modern attire; come as you are. The museum is ADA-accessible; use the street-level entrance to bypass the main stairs.
It was lovely to see folks at this weekend’s gallery visit to the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World for their exhibit of artifacts from the tenth-century capital of Islamic Spain. It was a great opportunity to get a glimpse of this intriguing culture that is sometimes relegated to the margins of our study of the medieval world.
This is a small gallery and our visit is only expected to last around an hour or so. Afterwards, some folks may choose to go to lunch at a nearby diner.
The ISAW gallery is located at 14 E 84th St, between Madison and Fifth. The closest subway station is the 4 train at 86th and Lex, or you can take the M1, M2, M3, M4, or M86 bus.
Admission is free. The site is wheelchair-accessible and ADA-compliant.
If you have trouble difficulty finding our group at the museum, you can call Mathghamhain at 917-502-7795 for assistance.
All are welcome to join us. No Society membership or previous experience required. No fee. Modern attire; come as you are.
The Canton of Appleholm invites you to join us on another informal weekend outing to one of our many world-class museums.
On Sunday, October 13, at 2:00 we’ll gather outside the Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park and enter as a group. Our visit is expected to last for two to three hours. Afterwards, folks who are hungry may walk down the hill to a local restaurant.
(If you’re new to the Cloisters, it’s New York City’s unique immersive museum of medieval art and architecture, constructed from several medieval European buildings which were purchased piecemeal a hundred years ago and relocated to upper Manhattan, then reassembled and filled with a variety of period artworks.)
To reach the Cloisters:
By subway, take the A train to 190th Street, then use the elevators to exit on Fort Washington Avenue. From there, you can either transfer to the uptown M4 into the park to reach its final stop, or you can walk north along the path into the park for about fifteen minutes to reach the Cloisters. (Note that while maps may suggest that you could take the A or 1 trains to Dyckman Street and walk into the park from there, we generally don’t recommend this route because of the 180-foot climb up the stairs on the very, very steep hillside.)
By bus, take the uptown M4 bus to its last stop.
By car, navigate to 99 Margaret Corbin Drive and look for public parking space in or around Fort Tryon Park.
If you have trouble reaching the site, or arrive late and have difficulty finding our group, you can call Mathghamhain at 917-502-7795 for assistance.
Residents of New York State with a valid ID may pay any amount to enter, as little as $1, and the same goes for students from NJ and CT; sadly, for other out-of-state visitors or those without ID, the museum’s admission fee is an exorbitant $30.
Unfortunately, this site is not wheelchair-friendly due to the cobblestones and numerous stairs throughout the facility; they are reportedly able to shuttle wheelchairs into the building, but access to many of the exhibits is still limited.
All are welcome to join us. No Society membership or previous experience required. Modern attire; come as you are. (Note that the museum’s rules specifically exclude “costumes,” and although it’s unevenly enforced, folks in garb may be turned away.)
The Canton of Appleholm invites you to join us for another afternoon of crafting and camaraderie!
We’ll gather at 3:00 PM on Sunday, July 28 at the home of our chatelaine Madwen Gam, at 569 W 161st Street, buzzer 6, just east of Broadway. (Note that this site is upstairs and is not wheelchair-accessible.)
We’ll be focusing on garbing yourself for our historically-themed events. A few pieces of recently-donated clothing will be available to newcomers, and a large stash of fabric is available for use by people who wish to make their own outfits, including silk, cotton, linen, and wool.
All are welcome to join us. No Society membership or previous experience required. No fee. Modern attire; come as you are. Feel free to RSVP or just come by and say hello!
Detail of saris at the New Delhi Crafts Museum, photo by Yann from Wikimedia Commons under CC-By-SA.
The Canton of Appleholm invites you to join us for another afternoon of crafting and camaraderie!
We’ll gather at 3:00 PM on Sunday, June 23 at the home of Madwen Gam, at 569 W 161st Street, buzzer 6, just east of Broadway. (Unfortunately this site is not wheelchair-friendly.)
You are welcome to variously stitch, braid, paint, draw or otherwise put your creativity and talents to work. Bring your crafting supplies, or show up empty-handed and learn a new skill or help other people with their projects.
All are welcome to join us. No Society membership or previous experience required. No fee. Modern attire; come as you are. Feel free to RSVP or just come by and say hello!
Detail from Tacuinum Sanitatis (BNF Latin 9333), circa 1425; artist unknown.
The Canton of Appleholm invites you to join us on another informal weekend outing to one of our many world-class museums.
On Saturday, February 24, starting at 2 PM, we’ll visit the Met’s “Africa and Byzantium” exhibit, which includes numerous period art works and artifacts from north and east Africa showing the shared influence of Byzantine and local cultures, as well as a few post-period examples showing the legacy of this synthesis. The special exhibit is positioned between the museum’s halls of Greek and Roman art and the halls of Medieval art, so we’ll likely loop through those on our way.
The Met is located on Fifth Avenue at East 82nd Street. The closest trains are the 4/5/6 at 86th, and there are several busses that run along either Fifth or 86th.
We’ll gather on the front steps, weather permitting, or in the lobby atrium, and then enter as a group. (If you miss us there, call Mathghamhain at 917-502-7795 to link up inside the museum.) We’ll probably spend about two hours in the museum, and afterwards folks who are hungry may walk over to Madison to get a snack in a local coffee shop.
All are welcome to join us. No Society membership or previous experience required. Modern attire; come as you are. Feel free to RSVP or just show up. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Thanks to everyone who came out to join us at the Hispanic Society museum today, as well as the post-gallery coffee and chit-chat.
It’s a small exhibition, with a very eclectic mix of items on display, but the “courtyard” is a lovely space and it was interesting to see the admixture of European, Mesoamerican, and East Asian elements in the sixteenth-century artifacts.
We look forward to seeing you all on our next gallery outing soon!
The Canton of Appleholm invites you to join us for a casual weekend outing to one of our many world-class museums.
On Sunday, November 26, at 2 PM, we’ll visit the recently-reopened Hispanic Society in Washington Heights.
Their Main Court is an interior space decorated in the style of the courtyard in a sixteenth-century Spanish manor, and hosts a small collection of Medieval and Renaissance artworks and artifacts from Iberia and Latin America, including paintings, altarpieces, sculptures, stone tombs, silver tableware, and more. (There’s also a variety of post-period art throughout the rest of the museum.)
To reach the museum, take the 1 train to 157th Street, or the C train to 155th Street, or the M4 or M5 bus to 155th Street. Drivers may be able to find curbside parking at Riverside and 155th Street or in the commercial garage on Broadway at 614 W 153rd.
We’ll gather in the outdoor “Audubon Terrace” space off Broadway between 155th and 156th Streets and enter as a group (weather permitting).
We’ll expect to spend an hour or so in the museum, and afterwards folks who are hungry may walk a couple of blocks through the neighborhood to get coffee or lunch in a local restaurant.
This museum is free and the site reports that it is ADA accessible.
All are welcome to join us. No Society membership or previous experience required. Modern attire; come as you are. Feel free to RSVP or just show up.
Photo courtesy Sailko, released under Creative Commons license.
