Large Brooch with Spirals

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Part of the appeal of objects made of copper alloy produced during the Bronze Age was undoubtedly their gleaming yellow color. The dark green patina that now characterizes these pieces, a result of tin corrosion, actually preserves the original finish of the surface texture, even if altering its color.

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