Rectangular Plaque
Unknown Artist
500–700
Medium
Copper alloy
Dimensions
Overall: 1 x 3/4 x 5/16 in. (2.5 x 1.9 x 0.8 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Copper alloy
Culture
Frankish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.193.205
Art Historical Context
This delicate Rectangular Plaque, crafted by an unknown Frankish artist between 500 and 700 CE, exemplifies the exquisite metalwork of the early Middle Ages. Measuring just 1 x 3/4 x 5/16 inches, tiny copper alloy piece from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Art collection was likely used as a decorative mount, brooch, harness fitting—common in Frankish society during the Merovingian era, when the Franks dominated much of western Europe. Copper alloy was a favored medium for its malleability and corrosion resistance, allowing artisans to employ techniques like casting, hammering, and ...