Double Capital with Vine Tendrils
Unknown Artist
1170–80
Medium
Marble
Dimensions
Overall: 15 3/4 x 18 x 10 1/2 in. (40 x 45.7 x 26.7 cm)
Classification
Sculpture-Architectural
Culture
French
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.124
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Double Capital with Vine Tendrils*, carved from marble around 1170–80 in France, exemplifies the refined stonework of the late Romanesque period. Architectural capitals like this crowned the tops of columns in grand cathedrals and abbeys, supporting arches while serving as canvases for symbolic decoration. Measuring about 16 by 18 inches, this double example—likely from a church interior—showcases the anonymous mason's mastery in transforming solid stone into delicate, flowing forms. The surface bursts with intertwining vine tendrils, a motif evoking the Garden of Eden, spirit...