Chrismatory
Unknown Artist
ca. 1200–1220
Medium
Copper: engraved, chased, and gilt; champlevé enamel: lapis and lavender blue, turquoise, light and dark green, red, and white
Dimensions
Overall: 3 7/8 x 5 9/16 x 3 3/4 in. (9.9 x 14.2 x 9.6 cm) Overall (without feet): 3 3/8 x 5 9/16 x 3 3/4 in. (8.6 x 14.2 x 9.6 cm)
Classification
Enamels-Champlevé
Culture
French
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.853
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Chrismatory*, dating to around 1200–1220, is a rare survivor from medieval France, crafted as a portable vessel to hold the three holy oils—chrism, oil of catechens, and oil of sick—used in Christian sacraments like baptism and anointing. Shaped like a miniature chest with removable compartments, it stands just under 4 inches tall, perfect for a priest's liturgical kit during the High Middle Ages, a time when Gothic art flourished and religious devotion inspired intricate metalwork. Masterfully made from copper that's engraved, chased for textured relief, and gilded for a gold...