Key

Art Historical Context

This unassuming yet intriguing iron key, forged in 15th-century Germany, a glimpse into the everyday craftsmanship of the late Middle Ages. Measuring just 3½ x 1½ x ½ inches, its compact form belies its potential importance—likely used to secure doors, chests, or sacred spaces in a world where locks guarded wealth, secrets, and power. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1910, it now resides in the Metropolitan of Art's Medieval Art department, classified as fine metalwork. In medieval Europe, keys were more than mere tools; they symbolized authority, from ecclesiastical officials locking reli...