Capital
Unknown Artist
late 12th century
Medium
Stone
Dimensions
Overall: 10 x 8 5/8 x 8 5/8 in. (25.4 x 21.9 x 21.9 cm)
Classification
Sculpture-Architectural
Culture
French
Department
The Cloisters
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cloisters Collection, 1925
Accession Number
25.120.58
Art Historical Context
This exquisite stone capital, crafted by an unknown French artist in the late 12th, exemplifies the architectural artistry of medieval Europe. Measuring a compact 10 x 8⅝ x 8⅝ inches, it served as the crowning element of a column, supporting arches in grand cathedrals, cloisters, or abbeys As part of The Cloisters at The Metropolitan Museum of Art since 1925, it visitors to an era when stone masons transformed raw limestone into symbols of faith and beauty. Dating to the cusp of the Gothic period, this capital reflects the technical prowess of French sculptors who mastered high-relief carving...