Medal Louis XII, King of France (r. 1498–15155), and Anne of Brittany (1476–1514)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Royal visits became the occasion for lavish civic festivities, and medals were produced to commemorate these events. A gold version of this double-sided medal was presented to Anne of Brittany when she arrived with Louis XII in Lyons in March 1500. The rule of the French king is glorified by the inscription: "In the blessed reign of Louis XII, a second Caesar, the entire Nation rejoices." The couple is portrayed in profile against fields sown with fleur-de-lis, emblem of the French monarchy, and ermine tails, emblem of Brittany, while the lion at the bottom refers to the city of Lyons.

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