Fragment

Art Historical Context

This delicate fragment, titled simply *Fragment*, hails from medieval Europe, likely spanning the 12th to 17th centuries—a broad timeframe that underscores the challenges of dating such ancient glass. Measuring just 2 3/16 × 1/8 inches, it's a tiny survivor from what were once grand stained-glass windows, probably adorning cathedrals or noble chapels. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval department since a 1930 gift from George D. Pratt, it the fragility and enduring allure of these luminous artifacts. Crafted from pot-metal glass—colored throughout by metallic oxides for jewel...