Plaque with Saint Peter
Unknown Artist
ca. 1185–1200
Medium
Copper (plaque): engraved, stippled, and gilt; (figure): repoussé, engraved, chased, scraped, and gilt; champlevé enamel: medium and light blue, turquoise, green, yellow, red, and white; blue-black glass inset eyes.
Dimensions
Overall: 9 3/4 x 3 3/4 x 1 1/16 in. (24.8 x 9.5 x 2.7 cm) Overall (Applique): 8 9/16 x 2 1/8 x 7/8 in. (21.8 x 5.4 x 2.2 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
17.190.812
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Plaque with Saint Peter*, crafted by an unknown French artist around 1185–1200, captures the spiritual fervor of medieval Europe. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Department (gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 191), it depicts the apostle Saint Peter, a central figure in Christianity as the keeper of the keys to heaven. Measuring about 9¾ x 3¾ inches overall, the plaque likely served as a devotional object or liturgical accessory, reflecting the era's blend of piety and artistic innovation during the High Middle Ages. The artwork showcases masterful champlevé ename...