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King Clovis I

ca. 1250
On view at The Met Cloisters in Gallery 01
According to tradition, the monastery of Moutiers-Saint-Jean was founded by the first Christian kings of France, Clovis and his son Clothar. They are almost certainly the donors standing at either side, presenting their charters. The small seated figures on either side represent ancestors of the Virgin and Christ, including Moses. The tympanum above shows the Coronation of the Virgin in heaven, one of the most popular subjects in thirteenth-century French art. Despite damage sustained during tumultuous times, the naturalistic rendering of the anatomy, the plant motifs, and the delicate details throughout make this doorway an exemplary testament of the
Gothic style.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: King Clovis I
  • Date: ca. 1250
  • Geography: Made in Burgundy, France
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: Limestone with traces of paint
  • Dimensions: Overall: 74 1/2 in. (189.2 cm)
  • Classification: Installations
  • Credit Line: The Cloisters Collection, 1940
  • Object Number: 40.51.1
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

Audio

Cover Image for 13. King Clovis I and King Clothar I

13. King Clovis I and King Clothar I

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More Artwork

More Artwork
Doorway from Moutiers-Saint-Jean, White oolitic limestone with traces of paint, French
Doorway from Moutiers-Saint-Jean
French
ca. 1250
Virgin and Child, Claus de Werve Netherlandish, Limestone with paint and gilding, French
Virgin and Child
Attributed to Claus de Werve
ca. 1415–19
Spoon, Painted enamel and gilded silver, French
Spoon
French
15th century
Nikare with his Wife and Daughter, Limestone, paint
Nikare with his Wife and Daughter
ca. 2420–2389 BCE or later
Lion, Fresco, mounted on canvas, Spanish
Lion
Spanish
after 1200

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