Plaque

Unknown

second quarter 13th century · Champlevé enamel, copper · Medieval Art

The medieval metalworker's craft was often closely allied to the draftsman's art, a relationship that was particularly strong in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. In this work, calligraphic metal surfaces float against colorful enameled backgrounds, much as drawing and painting interact in manuscripts. A sketch of a head on the reverse of this piece suggests that artists worked out compositions in a graphic mode before attempting completed designs.

Artist

Unknown

Date

second quarter 13th century

Medium

Champlevé enamel, copper

Culture

French

Department

Medieval Art

Credit line

Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917