Disk Brooch
Unknown Artist
6th century
Medium
Silver-gilt, garnets with patterned foil backings, mother-of-pearl(?)..
Dimensions
Overall: 13/16 x 1/4 in. (2.1 x 0.6 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
Frankish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.191.147
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Disk Brooch, crafted by an unknown Frankish artisan in 6th century, the refined metalwork of the Merovingian in early medieval Europe. Hailing from the Frankish culture—associated with the powerful Germanic tribes who dominated Gaul (modern France and Germany)—such brooches served as practical fasteners for cloaks or garments while doubling as status symbols for the elite. Its petite size, just 13/16 x 1/4 inches (2.1 x 0.6 cm), highlights the meticulous skill required for such diminutive luxury items. The brooch's medium is a marvel of technique: silver-gilt for a luminous gol...