Brooch with Intaglio of an Emperor

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

At its center this brooch features a rare, late Roman intaglio sapphire carved with the profile image of one of the sons of Emperor Constantine. The delicate arcade supporting the gem is typical of 　goldmsiths’ work created centuries later for the Ottonian emperors, who considered themselves heirs of Constantine’s Christian Roman empire. It seems therefore likely that this piece was created for a member of the Ottonian imperial family, who, by wearing it, affirmed that bond.

Medieval Art and The Cloisters

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art