Head of an Angel (?)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The enigmatic smile and lyrical treatment of the hair distinguish this angelic head as an outstanding example of mid-thirteenth-century Parisian sculpture. Several stylistic and technical aspects, such as the type of limestone, link this work with sculpture made for the cathedral of Notre-Dame, Paris. The absence of weathering suggests the head was originally part of an interior setting, yet its exact origin and function remain unknown.

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