Standing Male Saint
Unknown Artist
17th–18th century
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
Height: 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm)
Classification
Sculpture-Miniature
Culture
possibly French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Alfred and Victoria Harris, 1976
Accession Number
1976.422.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite miniature sculpture, *Standing Male Saint*, crafted by an unknown artist in the 17th–18th century, captures the serene dignity of a holy figure in ivory. Standing just 4½ inches (11.4 cm) tall, it exemplifies the delicate artistry of European devotional objects from the period, possibly from France. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Department of European Sculpture and Decor Arts, it was generously gifted by Alfred and Victoria Harris in1976. Ivory's smooth, luminous quality made it an ideal medium for such tiny masterpieces, allowing carvers to achieve astonishing detai...