Glass Fragment
Unknown Artist
12th–14th century
Medium
Pot-metal glass, vitreous paint
Dimensions
Overall: 1 1/4 x 5/8 in. (3.2 x 1.6 cm)
Classification
Glass-Stained
Culture
French
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Ella Brummer, in memory of her husband, Ernest Brummer, 1977
Accession Number
1977.346.37
Art Historical Context
This delicate glass fragment, hailing from medieval France between the 12th and 14th centuries, offers a glimpse into the luminous world of Gothic stained-glass windows. Though tiny—measuring just 1¼ x ⅝ inches (3.2 x 1.6 cm)—it once formed part of a larger ecclesiastical panel, likely adorning a cathedral or abbey. During this era, stained glass transformed sacred spaces, filtering sunlight into jewel-toned narratives that educated the faithful in biblical stories and saints' lives. Crafted from pot-metal glass—where metallic oxides were fused into the molten glass for vibrant, translucent c...