Medallion with a Queen Holding a Scepter and Falcon
Unknown Artist
ca. 1240–60
Medium
Copper: engraved and gilt; champlevé enamel: medium and light blue and white
Dimensions
Overall: 3 1/2 x 1/16 in. (8.9 x 0.2 cm)
Classification
Enamels-Champlevé
Culture
French
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.2144
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite medallion, crafted in France around 1240–60, depicts a regal queen clutching a scepter in one hand and a falcon the other, symbols of royal authority and noble pastime. Measuring just 3½ inches across and remarkably thin at 1/16 inch, this tiny treasure from the Medieval Art collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art adorned jewelry, reliquaries, or liturgical objects, showcasing the era's fascination with portable luxury. The artwork exemplifies champlevé enamel, a prized 13th-century technique where artisans engraved cells into a copper base, gilded it for shine, and filled...