Pilaster
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Wood, gold leaf
Dimensions
9 ft. 5 in. × 4 1/2 in. × 5 1/2 in. (287 × 11.4 × 14 cm)
Classification
Woodwork-Architectural
Culture
Italian or French
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1907
Accession Number
07.287.3
Art Historical Context
This elegant pilaster, crafted in the 16th century from and adorned with shimmering gold leaf, stands as a testament to the exquisite woodworking traditions of Renaissance-era Italy or France. Measuring an impressive 9 feet 5 inches tall but remarkably slender at just 4½ by 5½ inches, it served as an architectural element—likely a flattened column projection used to decorate walls in grand ecclesiastical or palatial interiors. Acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in1907 through the Rogers Fund, it now graces the Medieval Art department, bridging the ornate late Gothic styles with emergin...