Ferret
Unknown Artist
7th century
Medium
Copper alloy
Dimensions
Overall: 1 3/4 x 13/16 x 3/8 in. (4.4 x 2.1 x 0.9 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Copper alloy
Culture
Frankish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.193.301
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Art collection, this charming copper alloy figurine titled *Ferret* dates to the 7th and hails from Frankish culture. Measuring just 1¾ x 13/16 x 3/8 inches, its petite scale belies the skill of its unknown artisan, who captured the alert, sleek form of the animal with remarkable precision. Crafted during the Merovingian period height of the Frankish kingdom early medieval power—this piece exemplifies the era's sophisticated metalwork traditions. Copper alloy, a durable and malleable material, was prized for its ability to hold intricate de...