Double Column
Unknown Artist
13th–14th century
Medium
Marble
Dimensions
Overall (a: Capital): 16 1/4 x 21 3/4 x 13 in. (41.3 x 55.2 x 33 cm) Overall (b: Base): 8 7/8 x 19 1/4 x 10 1/2 in. (22.5 x 48.9 x 26.7 cm)
Classification
Sculpture-Architectural
Culture
French
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1916
Accession Number
16.32.7a, b
Art Historical Context
This elegant *Double Column*, crafted from marble by an unknown French sculptor in the 13th–14th century, exemplifies architectural splendor of medieval Gothic cathedrals.prising a finely carved capital (16¼ × 21¾ × 13 in.) and a sturdy base (8⅞ × 19¼ × 10½ in.), it likely supported vaulted arches or arcades in a grand ecclesiastical structure, such as those found in Île-de-France or northern French churches during the High Gothic period. Marble's durability and luminous quality made it ideal for such sculptural elements, allowing artisans to showcase exquisite stoneworking techniques—precise...