Medallion with the Betrayal of Jesus

early 16th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 306
This medallion serves as a reminder that one of the most important skills of miniature boxwood carvers was their ability to create deep, stagelike spaces for the reenactment of the drama of the Bible. In this carving, the action is intense, but the faces are summarily rendered in some areas. Were elements such as these perhaps consigned to apprentices?

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Medallion with the Betrayal of Jesus
  • Date: early 16th century
  • Culture: Netherlandish
  • Medium: Boxwood
  • Dimensions: Diam. 2 × 1/16 in. (5.1 × 0.1 cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture-Miniature-Wood
  • Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
  • Object Number: 17.190.474b
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

More Artwork

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.