Osculatory

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Worn as a pendant, the osculatory was kissed by the celebrant of the Mass at the mingling of the bread and wine to signify the unity of the Church through the bond of charity. The plaque on the front represents the Trinity and refers to the Redemption of man through Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Engraved on the back plate are SS. Ursula and Barbara. A number of other objects in The Cloisters Treasury, including the silver and mother-of-pearl tabernacle, also come from the treasury of St. Peter's monastery in Salzburg.

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