Fragment of Buckle
Unknown Artist
dated 1540
Medium
Brass
Dimensions
H. 5/8 in. (1.6 cm); W. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm); thickness 1/16 in. (0.2 cm); Wt. 0.03 oz. (1 g)
Classification
Miscellaneous-Buckles & Ornament
Culture
German
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Bashford Dean, 1920
Accession Number
20.152.219
Art Historical Context
This delicate fragment of a brass buckle, dated 1540, offers a glimpse into everyday Renaissance craftsmanship from Germany. Measuring just 5/8 inch high and 3/4 inch wide, this tiny artifact—now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Arms and Armor Department—was likely part of a belt, strap, or armor fastening. Donated by Bashford Dean in 1920, it exemplifies the precision of 16th-century metalworking, where brass was prized for its durability, golden sheen, and workability. Crafted during the Holy Roman Empire's turbulent era of Reformation and warfare, such buckles blended functionali...