Ring Brooch
Unknown Artist
ca. 1340–49
Medium
Gold, spinels, and sapphires
Dimensions
Overall: 7/8 x 3/16 in. (2.2 x 0.5 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Gold and Platinum
Culture
German
Department
The Cloisters
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cloisters Collection, 2006
Accession Number
2006.257
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Ring Brooch, crafted in Germany around 1340–49, exemplifies the refined metal of the late Gothic period Measuring just 7/8 x 3/16 inches, its diminutive size belies its grandeur, designed likely as a delicate clasp for clothing or a finger ring alternative. Housed in The Cloisters at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it reflects the era's fascination with intricate jewelry among the nobility, where such pieces served both practical and symbolic purposes—often denoting status, love, or fidelity. Fashioned from gleaming gold and adorned with vibrant spinels and sapphires, the brooc...