Saint John the Evangelist

Saint John the Evangelist

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The youthful saint is shown with his attribute, an eagle. This small appliqué was undoubtedly conceived as one of four, along with Matthew, Mark, and Luke-the other authors of the Gospels. Such small busts are commonly encountered in ivory or precious metal adorning the arms of a crucifix or, as is likely in this case, the cover of a Bible.

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The fifty thousand objects in the Museum's comprehensive and historically important collection of European sculpture and decorative arts reflect the development of a number of art forms in Western European countries from the early fifteenth through the early twentieth century. The holdings include sculpture in many sizes and media, woodwork and furniture, ceramics and glass, metalwork and jewelry, horological and mathematical instruments, and tapestries and textiles. Ceramics made in Asia for export to European markets and sculpture and decorative arts produced in Latin America during this period are also included among these works.