The BnF Museum or Museum of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, formerly known as the Cabinet des Médailles, is a significant art and history museum in Paris. It displays collections of the Département des Monnaies, Médailles et Antiques de la Bibliothèque nationale de France as well as manuscripts and books from the Library's collections. The BnF Museum is located in the Richelieu site, the former main building of the library bordering rue de Richelieu.
Salle des Colonnes
The Sassanid "Cup of Chosroes", from Saint-Denis, where it was treasured as "King Solomon's Cup".
An engraved gem, frequently referred to as an intaglio, is a small and usually semi-precious gemstone that has been carved, in the Western tradition normally with images or inscriptions only on one face. The engraving of gemstones was a major luxury art form in the ancient world, and an important one in some later periods.
Roman intaglio portrait of Caracalla in amethyst, once in the Treasury of Sainte-Chapelle. At some point it was adapted by adding an inscription and cross to represent Saint Peter
Relief cameo of a Roman prince. Perhaps 14th century.
Antelopes attacked by birds: cylinder seal in hematite and its impression. Late Bronze Age II (maybe 14th century BC), from Cyprus in the Minoan period, following Near Eastern precedents.
Reclining satyr, Etruscan c. 550 BC, 2.2 cm wide. Note the vase shown "sideways"; it is characteristic of early gems that not all elements in the design are read from the same direction of view.
