Relief of the Holy Family

Relief of the Holy Family

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This exquisite carving, probably originally from a portable altar, is one of the most intimate and sensitive carvings of the Romanesque style in Europe. Here Joseph tenderly embraces Mary and the infant Jesus who are enthroned upon an ass. Rich in symbolism, this ivory has been linked artistically to both England and northern France.

Medieval Art and The Cloisters

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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.