Pilgrim's Badge: Saint Theobald of Thann
Unknown Artist
1400–1450
Medium
Lead/tin alloy
Dimensions
Overall: 3 9/16 x 1 15/16 x 3/16 in. (9.1 x 4.9 x 0.4 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Lead
Culture
French
Department
The Cloisters
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cloisters Collection, 1999
Accession Number
1999.197.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in The Cloisters' collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this *Pilgrim's Badge: Theobald of Thann (ca. 1400–1450) is a delicate artifact of medieval devotion. Crafted by an unknown French artist from a lead/tin alloy, it measures just 3 9/ x 1 15/16 inches, small enough to be pinned to a pilgrim's or hat. These badges were mass-produced souvenirs from holy sites, serving as tangible proof of a spiritual journey and talismans for protection. Saint Theobald of Thann, depicted here as a bishop-saint, was a beloved figure in late medieval France, associated with pilgrimage centers l...