Plaque with the Massacre of the Innocents

ca. 1150

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 304

The artist of this plaque used dramatic and distorted postures to convey the horror of the Massacre of the Innocents ordered by King Herod after the birth of Jesus. It comes from a larger ensemble whose form and function is unknown. In style it is close to the plaque with an apostle seen nearby.

Artwork Details

Title: Plaque with the Massacre of the Innocents
Date: ca. 1150
Geography: Made in possibly Saxony, Germany
Culture: German
Medium: Champlevé enamel, copper-gilt
Dimensions: Overall: 4 1/2 x 5 1/8 x 1/8 in. (11.4 x 13 x 0.3 cm)
Classification: Enamels-Champlevé
Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Object Number: 17.190.444
Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

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