Jewellery

During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the work of the goldsmith occupied a fundamental place in the development of the public life of societies, a reality that contrasts with the status of goldsmithing as a minor art form compared to others such as painting or architecture. During these two periods, magical and medicinal properties were attributed to gems and minerals. These qualities, which are recorded in various texts from Antiquity, such as Pliny the Elder’s Natural History or the works of Aristotle, were compiled in treatises called "lapidaries" by medieval authors such as Saint Isidore, Saint Albert the Great (inspired by texts by Avicenna), Marbod of Rennes and Alfonso X the Wise. Some referred to the magical and medicinal properties of stones while others explained astrological correspondences or religious connotations. They became manuals for the curative use of stones and circulated among apothecaries, physicians, jewellers and interested amateurs throughout Europe.

To enjoy this special tour, all you need to do is book at the museum’s ticket desks or on its website by paying a €9 supplement.