ticketsMember | Make a donation

Dragon

after 1200
On view at The Met Cloisters in Gallery 01
Tail coiled, claws extended, and feet braced, this dragon is a powerful counterpart to the lion opposite. Medieval beasts, whether real or
imaginary, were often imbued with symbolic meaning, as they are in animal fables today. It is not always possible, however, to reconstruct their specific intention in a given monument, and such beasts could be for “aesthetic delight,” as one thirteenth-century archbishop commented. The monastery from which this fresco comes was abandoned in 1841.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Dragon
  • Date: after 1200
  • Culture: Spanish
  • Medium: Fresco, mounted on canvas
  • Dimensions: Overall: 131 x 132 in. (332.7 x 335.3 cm)
    (top panel): 83 x 132 in. (210.8 x 335.3 cm)
    (bottom panel): 48 x 132 in. (121.9 x 335.3 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings-Fresco
  • Credit Line: The Cloisters Collection, 1931
  • Object Number: 31.38.2a, 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.
Camel, Fresco transferred to canvas, Spanish
Camel
Spanish
first half 12th century (possibly 1129–34)
Lion, Fresco, mounted on canvas, Spanish
Lion
Spanish
after 1200
The Virgin and Child in Majesty and the Adoration of the Magi, Master of Pedret Spanish, Fresco transferred to canvas, Catalan
The Virgin and Child in Majesty and the Adoration of the Magi
Master of Pedret
ca. 1100
Altar Frontal, Wood with gesso, canvas, and paint, Catalan
Altar Frontal
Catalan
ca. 1225
The Temptation of Christ by the Devil, Fresco transferred to canvas, Spanish
The Temptation of Christ by the Devil
Spanish
first half 12th century (possibly 1129–34)

Related Content

Perspectives

Articles, audio, and video from The Met's online magazine.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Showing 4 of 5

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.