Camel

Art Historical Context

This striking fresco of a camel, created in Spain during the first half of the 12th century, offers a vivid glimpse into Romanesque art of the medieval period. Likely painted between 1129 and 1134, the work once adorned the walls of a church or monastic building before being carefully transferred to canvas for preservation. Now housed in The Cloisters at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, it exemplifies the museum’s renowned collection of medieval European art, where such monumental wall paintings provide insight into the visual culture of the time. The large scale—nearly eight feet tall—highlig...