
Chasse with the Crucifixion and Christ in Majesty
An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art
Shimmering with gold and jewel-like color, enameled altar furnishings from Limoges are luxurious in appearance, yet remarkably sturdy. The unlikely combination of preciousness and practicality contributed to the international renown of Limoges enameling from the twelfth to the fourteenth century. The side plaque with a cross is a replacement. The original, which would have covered a hinged, lockable door, undoubtedly represented Saint Peter.
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.