Pilaster
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Wood, gold leaf
Dimensions
9 ft. 4 in. × 4 3/4 in. × 5 1/2 in. (284.5 × 12.1 × 14 cm)
Classification
Woodwork-Architectural
Culture
Italian or French
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1907
Accession Number
07.287.5
Art Historical Context
This elegant pilaster, crafted in the 16th century from wood and adorned with shimmering gold leaf, stands as a testament to Renaissance-era decorative artistry. Measuring an impressive 9 feet inches tall yet remarkably slender at just 4¾ by 5½ inches, it mimics the form of a classical column projecting from a wall, blending architectural function with opulent embellishment. Likely Italian or French in origin, such pilasters were integral to lavish interiors of churches, palaces, or grand halls, where they framed doorways, altars, or niches to enhance spatial drama and convey grandeur. The u...