| |  | | Art History Study Group—Unsolved Riddles: Deciphering Gender and Defying Nature in the Queen of Sheba Tapestry | Wednesday, November 12, 4–5:30 pm
Online
Join Nancy Thebaut, co-curator of The Met Cloisters exhibition Spectrum of Desire: Love, Sex, and Gender in the Middle Ages, to untangle the themes of the show as represented in a late 15th-century Rhenish tapestry, Two Riddles of the Queen of Sheba. The work presents gender as a riddle to be solved between two Biblical figures, providing an entry point for notions of sexuality and gender in the medieval past.
Fee: $40. Note: This live event takes place on Zoom. Space is limited; advance registration is required. Registration closes Tuesday, November 11, 2025, or when registration is full.
Register now → |  | | Workshop—Love Potions | Saturday, November 22, 1–4 pm
Cuxa Cloister, The Met Cloisters
Unlock the magical symbolism of the natural world and create your own personalized love potion inspired by the artworks in the exhibition Spectrum of Desire: Love, Sex, and Gender in the Middle Ages. Learn about medieval notions of love and romance and concoct a one-of-a-kind elixir alongside herbalist Arvolyn Hill.
Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Spectrum of Desire: Love, Sex, and Gender in the Middle Ages.
Fee: $95. All materials are provided. Note: Space is limited; advance registration is required. Registration closes Thursday, November 20, 2025, or when registration is full.
Register now → | |  |  | | Open Studio | | WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES | Sunday, November 30
1–4 pm | | |  |  | | Spectrum of Desire: Love, Sex, and Gender in the Middle Ages | | NOW OPEN | Through March 29, 2026
Gallery 002, Fuentidueña Chapel
Set in the stunning atmosphere of The Met Cloisters, this exhibition explores the often-overlooked themes of desire, sexuality, and gender in the medieval past, a period of time when most artistic production served religious purposes.
Desire in the Middle Ages was multifaceted. It could be courtly or carnal, sacred or subversive, and expressed as a kind of longing, suffering, or joy. Medieval artists could be both deeply serious and comical in their evocations of these feelings. Drawing on decades of scholarship, Spectrum of Desire opens up new ways of seeing the past through stirring works of art that inspire us to think more expansively about people who lived in the Middle Ages, their relationships, and the artworks they produced.
Featuring more than fifty works—from gold jewelry and ivory sculptures to stained glass, illuminated manuscripts, and woven textiles—this exhibition showcases the richness of visual expression in western Europe from the 13th to the 15th century, drawing primarily from The Met collection. This exploration of the visual language of desire in its many forms invites us to reflect on our own ideas of love, identity, and kinship today.
Learn more → | | | | Accessibility at The Met
The Met is committed to accessibility for all. For information about accessibility, programs, and services for people with disabilities at both Met sites, visit metmuseum.org/access. To request an access accommodation for virtual programs or online resources, email [email protected], or call 212-650-2010. For information about accessibility on our website, see our Website Accessibility Statement. | Spectrum of Desire: Love, Sex, and Gender in the Middle Ages is made possible by the Michel David-Weill Fund and Kathryn A. Ploss.
Public programs at The Met Cloisters are made possible in part by The Helen Clay Frick Foundation.
For Education program funders, visit metmuseum.org/educationfundingsupport.
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Images: Two Riddles of the Queen of Sheba (detail), ca. 1490–1500. Made in Strasbourg, Upper Rhineland, Germany. Linen warp; wool, linen and metallic wefts. 31 1/2 in. × 40 in. (80 × 99.7 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Cloisters Collection, 1971 (1971.43) | Aquamanile in the Form of Phyllis and Aristotle, Netherlandish, late 14th or early 15th century. Copper alloy, 12 ¾ x 7 x 15½ in. (32.5 x 17.9 x 39.3 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Robert Lehman Collection, 1975 (1975.1.1416) | All other photos by Filip Wolak | | | |
