Music and Youth in the Kingdom of France. The Roman de Fauvel and the Cleveland Fountain (Paris, c. 1320)
- Lecture
John C. and Sally S. Morley Family Foundation Lecture Hall
Table Fountain, c. 1320–40. France, Paris, 14th century. Gilt-silver and translucent enamels; overall: 33.8 x 25.4 x 26 cm. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade 1924.85
About The Event
The hydraulic and musical fountain in the Cleveland Museum of Art permanent collection is a unique device of gilt and enameled silver made around 1320 in Paris. This lecture examines the fountain’s material constitution, festive performance, and historical context. A close comparison with the Fountain of Youth presented in text, image, and music in the Roman de Fauvel, a political satire recorded in a manuscript of 1317, suggests that the same group was involved in both creations. The Cleveland fountain thus multi-sensorially evokes the Parisian royal palace as a divine Fountain of Youth rejuvenating the French kingdom.
Organized by the Department of Art History and Art, Case Western Reserve University.
This lecture is free and open to the public; registration is not required.