Glass Fragment
Unknown Artist
12th–14th century
Medium
Pot-metal glass, vitreous paint
Dimensions
Overall: 2 3/4 x 2 3/16 in. (7 x 5.5 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
1977.346.6
Art Historical Context
This delicate glass fragment, dating to the 12th–14th centuries, offers a glimpse into the luminous world of medieval French stained glass. Crafted in France during the Gothic era, when grand cathedrals like Chartres and Notre-Dame were adorned with vast windows, such pieces transformed sunlight into storytelling spectacles. Though only 2 3/4 x 2 3/16 inches (7 x 5.5 cm), it survives from what was likely a larger panel narrating biblical scenes or saints' lives, illuminating sacred spaces for worshippers below. The artwork showcases masterful medieval techniques: pot-metal glass, colored thro...