Kindergarten Visits The Met Cloisters

St. B’s kindergarten boys took a trip back in time on their recent visits to The Met Cloisters.  After learning about knights and medieval times the boys were eager to explore the four cloisters, chapels, halls, and gardens.

The first stop was the Gothic chapel which houses the tomb effigy of a Knight of the d’Aluye family.  The boys examined his clothing closely to discover that he was wearing items made from chain mail.  They also analyzed the objects with which he was portrayed.  They learned that the lion under his feet symbolized valor.  In another effigy they noticed a dog and learned that it was a symbol for loyalty.

The boys also enjoyed looking at the Unicorn Tapestries, 1495-1505.  They were familiar with the stories depicted in each image and were excited to discuss the details.  They remembered that the tapestries had been created to commemorate a wedding and pointed out the initials that were connected by a knot in multiple places.  The boys noticed details in each tapestry, such as the gestures of particular hunters and how the objects carried by people gave clues about what was happening in each scene.  The boys quickly figured out that the unicorn horn displayed in the gallery with the tapestries was actually a narwhal tooth.  Several boys were especially proud to find a tiny frog woven in amongst the wild flowers in The Unicorn is Found tapestry.

The boys completed their visit by spending some time outside in the beautiful gardens.  On the drive out of Fort Tryon Park the boys were treated to one last surprise, life-sized knight statues installed on the lawn as part of the public art installation, Armors, by Icelandic sculptor Steinunn Thorarinsdottir.  It was the perfect ending to a day filled with the magic of their classroom studies coming to life. 
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