Charles V (1500–1588)
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Boxwood
Dimensions
Diameter: 2 in. (5.1 cm)
Classification
Sculpture-Miniature
Culture
German
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Edward S. Harkness, 1930
Accession Number
30.135.9
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate boxwood miniature, titled *Charles V (1500–1558)*, is a remarkable 16th-century German measuring just 2 inches (5.1 cm) in. Crafted by an unknown artist it captures the profile of the Holy Roman Emperor V in a classical medallion style, showcasing the era's fascination with portraiture in miniature form. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of European Sculpture and Decor Arts, it was generously gifted by Mrs. Edward S. Harkness in 1930. Boxwood, a dense and fine-grained hardwood, was the ideal medium for such intricate carvings, allowing sculptors to achieve ex...