Harbor Scene
Medium
Vellum
Dimensions
4 1/8 x 5 3/4 in. (104 x 145 mm)
Classification
Miniatures
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Catherine D. Wentworth, 1948
Accession Number
48.187.741
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate miniature, titled *Harbor Scene*, captures a lively maritime view on vellum, a fine parchment prized for its smooth surface and ability to hold intricate detail. Measuring just over four by five inches, the work belongs to the tradition of Flemish miniature painting, where anonymous artists often specialized in small-scale scenes for manuscripts, albums, or private collections. The composition features men, boats, and towers along a bustling harbor, evoking the commercial vitality of ports in the Low Countries during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Created by an unident...