Ivory Panel with Saint Peter
Unknown Artist
6th–8th century
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
Overall: 11 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 3/16 in. (29.2 x 11.4 x 0.5 cm)
Classification
Ivories
Culture
Frankish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.55
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Ivory Panel with Saint Peter, carved by an unknown Frankish artist between the 6th and 8th centuries, captures the revered apostle in a compact yet masterful relief. Measuring just 11½ × 4½ inches, its thin profile (a mere 3/16 inch) suggests it was part of a larger ensemble, such as a diptych, book cover, or liturgical object common in early medieval Europe.oused in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Art department, it entered the collection as a gift from J Pierpont Morgan in 7. Crafted from elephant ivory—a prized, durable medium symbolizing purity and prestige in Christian ar...