ticketsMember | Make a donation

Head of a Crozier with a Serpent Devouring a Flower

ca. 1200–1220
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 304
As early as the sixth century, the pastoral staff, or crozier, conveyed the authority of a bishop, abbot, or abbess. The serpent and flower are frequently combined on enamel croziers from Limoges. They allude to the rod of Moses that, in the presence of Pharaoh, miraculously turned into a serpent at the command of God, and to the flowering rod of Aaron, symbol of his election to the priesthood by God.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Head of a Crozier with a Serpent Devouring a Flower
  • Date: ca. 1200–1220
  • Geography: Made in Limoges, France
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: Copper: formed, engraved, chased, scraped, stippled, and gilt; champlevé enamel: medium and light blue, light green, yellow, red, and white; glass cabochons
  • Dimensions: 9 1/8 × 5 1/16 × 2 3/4 in. (23.1 × 12.8 × 7 cm)
  • Classification: Enamels-Champlevé
  • Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
  • Object Number: 17.190.833a, b
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Tabernacle of Cherves, Copper (plaques): engraved, scraped, stippled, and gilt; (appliqués): repoussé, chased, engraved, scraped, and gilt; champlevé enamel: medium blue, turquoise, medium green, yellow, red, and white, modern wood mount, French
Tabernacle of Cherves
French
ca. 1220–1230
Chasse of Champagnat, Copper: engraved and gilt; champlevé enamel: blue-black, medium blue, turquoise, green, red, and white, French
Chasse of Champagnat
French
ca. 1150
Reliquary Bust of Saint Yrieix, Silver and gilded silver with rock crystal, gems, and glass, French
Reliquary Bust of Saint Yrieix
French
ca. 1220–40, with later grill
Chasse with the Crucifixion and Christ in Majesty, Copper: engraved, chiseled, stippled, and gilt; champlevé enamel: dark, medium, and light blue; turquoise, dark and light green, yellow, red, and white; wood core, painted red on exterior, French
Chasse with the Crucifixion and Christ in Majesty
French
ca. 1180–90
Head of a Crozier with the Annunciation, Copper formed, engraved, chased, scraped, stippled and gilt; champlevé enamel: medium blue, French
Head of a Crozier with the Annunciation
French
ca. 1225–50

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

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.