Impost Block with Acanthus Decoration
This capital resembles sculpture in the crypt of the royal abbey of Saint-Denis, north of Paris. As the burial place of French kings, Saint-Denis enjoyed unrivaled prestige; artistic innovations adopted there resonated throughout the region and indeed, throughout France. The choir of the abbey constructed under Abbot Suger is often considered the first example of a new architectural style, known today as Gothic. In the wake of the French Revolution, sculpture and building materials from a number of monuments were sent to Saint-Denis for storage; this piece may, therefore, come from another church in the area.
Artwork Details
- Title: Impost Block with Acanthus Decoration
- Date: 12th century
- Geography: Made in Saint-Denis, Ile-de-France, France
- Culture: French
- Medium: Limestone
- Dimensions: Overall: 20 1/4 x 25 x 15 3/8 in. (51.4 x 63.5 x 39.1 cm)
- Classification: Sculpture-Architectural
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1913
- Object Number: 13.152.1
- Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters
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