Panel with Scene from the Life of a Saint

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

On this panel four men hoist what appears to be a palm tree, or possibly a column, over a nude male figure, who lies on the ground and touches the tree trunk. Whether a violent or healing act, the scene may depict an episode from a life of a saint, considering that it was carved in a monastic workshop known for its use of ivory and inventive narrative imagery. Coinciding with the rise of the Christian kingdoms, the eleventh century saw a growing interest in the depiction of saints’ stories, and particularly those of early Spanish martyrs.

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