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Aquamanile in the Form of a Falconer on Horseback

13th century
On view at The Met Cloisters in Gallery 01
Derived from the Latin words for water (aqua) and hand (manus), an aquamanile (plural: aquamanilia) is an animal- or human-shaped water vessel used in hand washing, an essential component of religious and secular rituals in the Middle Ages. Aquamanilia were the first cast vessels of medieval Europe. Usually cast in copper alloy through the lostwax process (cire perdue), the hundreds of surviving examples date from the twelfth through fifteenth century. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has one of the most important collections of aquamanilia in the world, with examples at The Cloisters and in the main building on Fifth Avenue, in both the medieval galleries and the Lehman Collection.

Although compromised by the loss of the horse’s hooves and by significant wear to the surface, this aquamanile in the form of a youthful falconer remains a striking work. The left hand originally supported a falcon.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Aquamanile in the Form of a Falconer on Horseback
  • Date: 13th century
  • Geography: Made in Lower Saxony
  • Culture: North German
  • Medium: Copper alloy
  • Dimensions: Overall: 13 11/16 x 11 1/4 x 4 3/4 in. (34.7 x 28.5 x 12 cm), 8.554lb. (3880g)
    Thickness PD: 1/10-7/50 in. (0.25-0.35 cm)
  • Classification: Metalwork-Electrum
  • Credit Line: The Cloisters Collection, 1947
  • Object Number: 47.101.55
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

More Artwork

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Aquamanile in the Form of a Mounted Knight, Copper alloy, German
Aquamanile in the Form of a Mounted Knight
German
ca. 1250
Appliqué Figure of the Apostle James, Copper alloy, cast and gilt, North German
Appliqué Figure of the Apostle James
North German
ca. 1350
Appliqué Figure of the Apostle Philip, Copper alloy, cast and gilt, North German
Appliqué Figure of the Apostle Philip
North German
ca. 1350
Aquamanile in the Form of a Rooster, Copper alloy, German
Aquamanile in the Form of a Rooster
German
13th century
Aquamanile in the Form of a Dragon, Copper alloy, North German
Aquamanile in the Form of a Dragon
North German
ca. 1200

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