Lecture
Men in Love in the Romance of the Rose
Christopher T. Richards & Eliza Zingesser
The MET Cloisters, New York City
Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 6–7 pm
Christopher T. Richards, Visiting Assistant Professor of Art, Colby College
Eliza Zingesser, Associate Professor of French; Director of French Graduate Studies; Director of French Graduate Admissions, Columbia University
One of the most widely read love poems of the Middle Ages, the Romance of the Rose narrates an erotic dream about a man’s seduction of a woman and includes episodes about other forms of desire. Join us to hear medieval scholars Christopher T. Richards and Eliza Zingesser in conversation on the unexpected imagery inspired by this iconic work of courtly literature.
Presented in conjunction with The Met Cloisters exhibition Spectrum of Desire: Love, Sex, and Gender in the Middle Ages.
Free, though advance registration is required. Please note: Space is limited; first come, first served.
To registers and/or obtain more information, visit https://engage.metmuseum.org/events/education/talks/cloisters/free-talks/fy26/romance-of-the-rose-cloisters/