Plaque with Christ Presenting the Keys to Saint Peter and the Law to Saint Paul

Plaque with Christ Presenting the Keys to Saint Peter and the Law to Saint Paul

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The theme of Christ handing the keys of heaven to Saint Peter and the law to Saint Paul, which originated in fourth-century Rome, refers to the Gospel of Matthew (16:18): "I also tell you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church." At the same time, it highlights the importance of Saint Paul’s mission to the Gentiles. In this powerful interpretation, a domed structure, perhaps representing the heavenly Jerusalem, replaces the rock on which Christ is depicted more frequently. The dramatic expressions, the fluid clinging drapery, and the openwork carving are characteristic of German Romanesque ivory carving. The inscription, including the date 1200, is of later origin.

Medieval Art and The Cloisters

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Plaque with Christ Presenting the Keys to Saint Peter and the Law to Saint PaulPlaque with Christ Presenting the Keys to Saint Peter and the Law to Saint PaulPlaque with Christ Presenting the Keys to Saint Peter and the Law to Saint PaulPlaque with Christ Presenting the Keys to Saint Peter and the Law to Saint PaulPlaque with Christ Presenting the Keys to Saint Peter and the Law to Saint Paul

The Museum's collection of medieval and Byzantine art is among the most comprehensive in the world. Displayed in both The Met Fifth Avenue and in the Museum's branch in northern Manhattan, The Met Cloisters, the collection encompasses the art of the Mediterranean and Europe from the fall of Rome in the fourth century to the beginning of the Renaissance in the early sixteenth century. It also includes pre-medieval European works of art created during the Bronze Age and early Iron Age.