Icon Fragment

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This fragment from the lower edge of an icon is all that survives of the only known Byzantine-style icon found at a crusader site and suggests that Crusaders used icons. To the right is a red (purple) shoe decorated with pearls, typical of Byzantine imperial dress. Similar shoes are worn by the Virgin and by archangels, one of whose feet may be pictured here. The barely sandaled feet to the left might be those of Saint John the Forerunner (the Baptist).

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art