ticketsMember | Make a donation

Head of Christ

late 15th–early 16th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 306
Piety in the late Middle Ages encouraged the believer's intense emotional empathy in the suffering of Christ. Here, stone is transformed into flesh by the actual wood thorns piercing the forehead. The capacity for sculptural naturalism developed in Burgundy by Claus Sluter (ca. 1360–before 1406) and Niclaus Gerhaert von Leiden (active 1460–73?) here endows the noble face of the dead Christ with an uncanny intensity. The head was part of a devotional group, either a Pietà or an Entombment of Christ.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Head of Christ
  • Date: late 15th–early 16th century
  • Geography: Made in North Brabant, The Netherlands
  • Culture: Netherlandish
  • Medium: Limestone, traces of wood thorns
  • Dimensions: Overall: 9 9/16 x 10 1/2 x 9 1/8in. (24.3 x 26.7 x 23.2cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture-Stone
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Rogers Fund; Gifts of J. Pierpont Morgan, George Blumenthal and Duveen Brothers, by exchange; Bequests of George Blumenthal, Michael Dreicer, Theodore M. Davis and Anne D. Thomson, by exchange; and Mr. and Mrs. Maxime L. Hermanos Gift, 1983
  • Object Number: 1983.406
  • 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.
Crib of the Infant Jesus, Wood, polychromy, lead, silver-gilt, painted parchment, silk embroidery with seed pearls, gold thread, translucent enamels, South Netherlandish
Crib of the Infant Jesus
South Netherlandish
15th century
Reliquary Bust of a Female Saint, Oak, painted and gilded, and human remains, South Netherlandish
Reliquary Bust of a Female Saint
South Netherlandish
early 16th century
Saint Bridget of Sweden, Master of Soeterbeeck, Walnut, rock crystal cabochon. Originally painted., South Netherlandish
Saint Bridget of Sweden
Master of Soeterbeeck
ca. 1470
Base for a Statuette, Elephant ivory, North French or South Netherlandish
Base for a Statuette
North French or South Netherlandish
early 16th century
Entombment of Christ, Limestone, polychromy, French
Entombment of Christ
French
ca. 1515

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

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.