Square Plaque

Art Historical Context

This delicate square plaque, crafted from copper alloy by an unknown Frankish artist in the 7th century ( Merovingian period), exemplifies the refined metalworking traditions of early medieval Europe. just 13/16 x 3/4 x 3/16 inches, its petite scale suggests it may have adorned a book cover, reliquary or personal devotional object, common in the Frankish kingdoms that spanned modern-day France and Germany during a time of cultural transition from late antiquity to the Carolingian Renaissance. Frankish metalwork like this plaque highlights the era's fusion of Roman techniques with emerging Chr...