Disk Brooch
Unknown Artist
second half 6th century
Medium
Silver-gilt, garnets with patterned foil backings, and pearl
Dimensions
Overall: 15/16 x 1/2 in. (2.4 x 1.3 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
17.193.7
Art Historical Context
This delicate Disk Brooch, crafted by an unknown Frankish artisan in the second half of 6th century, the opulent metalwork of the early Merovingian period in post-Roman Europe. Measuring just 15/16 x 1/2 inches, this tiny treasure—made of silver-gilt adorned with garnets featuring intricate patterned foil backings and pearl—was likely worn to fasten cloaks or garments, serving as both a practical accessory and a bold statement of wealth and status the Frankish elite. brooch's artistry shines through sophisticated techniques. The silver-gilt base provided a lustrous golden sheen, while the ga...