Pricket Candlestick with Birds, Vines, and Leaves
Unknown Artist
1175–1200
Medium
Champlevé enamel, copper-gilt
Dimensions
Overall: 7 5/16 x 3 15/16 in. (18.6 x 10 cm)
Classification
Enamels-Champlevé
Culture
German
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.184
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Art collection, this *Pricket Candlestick with, Vines, and* (ca. 1175–1200) exemplifies the exquisite metalwork of 12th-century Germany. just over 7 inches tall, this copper-gilt piece features a central spike for holding a candle, designed for both practical illumination and ornamental display in ecclesiastical or noble settings. Its surface bursts with lively motifs of birds perched amid intertwining vines and lush leaves, evoking the natural world's abundance—a common theme in medieval decorative arts symbolizing paradise and renewal. Crafted usi...