The Pillars of Europe. The Middle Ages at the British Museum CaixaForum Barcelona

In the past, historians have typified the Middle Ages as an uncivilized bridge between the ancient cultures of Greece and Rome and the Italian Renaissance and Protestant Reformation of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. However, the truth is that this period, spanning more than a thousand years, was a time of enormous political, economic and cultural changes and from which emerged outstanding artistic talents and intellectual advances.

The Pillars of Europe. The Middle Ages at the British Museum -the first show produced as a result of an agreement signed between ”la Caixa” Foundation and the British Museum in 2015- explores the period from the years circa 400 to 1500 AD. Its purpose is to open a window onto the medieval world through the treasures and material culture that belonged to both to the dominant elites and other groups of society. Featuring an innovative design, the exhibition will include over 260 outstanding objects from the collections of the British Museum, many of them exhibited for the first time.

The exhibition discourse is completed by loans of exceptional works from the National Archaeological Museum (Madrid), the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC, Barcelona) and the Frederic Marès Museum (Barcelona). These treasures will illustrate key events, highlight famous figures and enable visitors to learn about different aspects of the medieval world, such as life at court, war and conquest, and the personal devotion.

The Pillars of Europe. The Middle Ages at the British Museum. Dates: from the 9th of March to the 18th of June of 2017. Place: CaixaForum Barcelona (Av. de Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia, 6-8).

More information in the PDF press release