Capital
Unknown Artist
ca. 1130–40
Medium
marble
Dimensions
Overall: 15 3/4 x 14 1/4 x 15 3/4 in. (40 x 36.2 x 40 cm)
Classification
Sculpture-Architectural
Culture
Catalan
Department
The Cloisters
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cloisters Collection, 1925
Accession Number
25.120.627
Art Historical Context
This exquisite marble capital, crafted by an unknown artist in Catalonia around 1130–40, exemplifies the architectural sculpture of the Romanesque period. Measuring a compact 15¾ x 14¼ x 15¾ inches, it have crowned a column in a church or monastery, serving both structural and decorative purposes. Carved from marble, a durable medium favored for its luminous quality and ability to capture intricate details, such pieces were integral to the stone-vaulted interiors of medieval buildings. Hailing from Catalonia—a region rich in Romanesque heritage during the 12th century—this capital reflects th...