Plaque with Marking of the Door with the Letter Tau

Unknown

ca. 1200 · Champlevé enamel, copper alloy, gilt · Medieval Art

The image here had its origin in the Passover, when Moses ordered the elders of Israel to mark the houses of the Israelites with the blood of a slain lamb to protect their households. For Christians, the tau came to be seen as an emblem of God's protection. In the enamel, the mark is placed on a building resembling a medieval church, with a prominent cross on the roof.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1200

Medium

Champlevé enamel, copper alloy, gilt

Culture

German

Department

Medieval Art

Credit line

Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917