Head of a King

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This noble bearded head of a king is a striking example of the courtly style associated with the reign of Louis IX (1226–70). The elegant curves of the hair and the finely carved lines of the face attest to an artisan of great skill. The head probably belonged to a column figure decorating one of the major Parisian churches.

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