Shoe Buckle
Unknown Artist
7th century
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Overall: 11/16 x 15/16 x 1/4 in. (1.8 x 2.4 x 0.6 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
Byzantine
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.191.177
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silver shoe buckle, crafted in the 7th during the height of the Byzantine Empire, a glimpse into the refined artistry of everyday life in medieval Constantinople. Measuring just 11/16 x 15/16 x 1/4 inches, its petite scale belies the sophisticated metalworking skills of Byzantine artisans, who transformed humble functional objects into objects of beauty and status. Byzantine metalwork, in silver, was renowned for its durability, luster, and intricate designs, often drawing from classical Roman traditions blended with emerging Christian motifs. As a piece of personal adornment, ...