Glass Fragment
Unknown Artist
15th century, with modern additions
Medium
Colorless glass
Dimensions
Overall (with leads): 5 x 11 1/2 in. (12.7 x 29.2 cm)
Classification
Glass-Stained
Culture
European
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of George D. Pratt, 1930
Accession Number
30.73.28
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Glass Fragment* hails from 15th-century Europe, a golden age for stained glass artistry during the late Medieval period. Crafted from colorless glass—a base material often enlivened with mineral paints, enamels, or flashes of color—this small piece (5 x 11½ inches, including modern stabilizing leads) likely originated from a grand church window. Stained glass was more than decoration; it transformed sunlight into vibrant narratives, illuminating biblical stories, saints, and heraldry for worshippers below. Its survival speaks to the fragility of these luminous treasures, many sh...