Capital with a Pattern of Vines with Grapes

Not on view

The cuplike shape and interlaced decoration covering this column capital are characteristic of innovations in architectural sculpture in sixth-century Byzantium. The freshness of the style becomes clear when this capital is compared to the one on the nearby pedestal, which has a more traditional shape and decoration. The rectangular slots on two sides of the capital may have held wooden screens (a common feature of church sanctuaries) that fit between adjacent columns.

Capital with a Pattern of Vines with Grapes, Limestone; carved in relief

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.