Boss and Nail
Unknown Artist
15th–16th century
Medium
Iron
Dimensions
Overall: 3 5/8 x 8 in. (9.2 x 20.3 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Iron
Culture
European
Department
The Cloisters
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cloisters Collection, 1955
Accession Number
55.61.117a, b
Art Historical Context
Nestled in The Cloisters' collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art *Boss and Nail* is modest yet masterful example of 15th–16th European ironwork. Crafted from durable iron, this small piece—measuring just 3 5/8 x 8 inches—likely served as a functional element in everyday medieval life, such as a decorative boss (a raised, rounded ornament) paired with a sturdy nail for securing wooden doors, chests, or furniture panels. Its unadorned form highlights the practicality of iron as a medium, prized for its strength and malleability in an era before widespread steel production. Forged by an un...