Double Capital
Unknown Artist
late 15th century
Medium
Marble
Dimensions
Overall: 21 x 13 in. (53.3 x 33 cm)
Classification
Sculpture-Architectural|Sculpture-Marble
Culture
French
Department
The Cloisters
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cloisters Collection, 1962
Accession Number
62.268.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in The Cloisters' collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art *Double Capital* is a late 15th-century French marble sculpture, measuring 21 x 13 inches. Crafted by an unknown artist, this architectural element—likely the crowning top of paired columns—exemplifies the intricate stonework of late Gothic France. During this era, as cathedrals and churches reached their ornate peak in the Flamboyant style capitals like this served both structural and decorative purposes, transforming utilitarian architecture into storytelling surfaces. The sculpture's surface teems with lively relief car...