Artwork
Crozier
Crozier is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1350 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The pairing of pastoral authority with the sacrificial lamb underscores the bishop's role as guardian of the flock and steward of Christ's salvific mission.
The Crozier is a mid-fourteenth-century religious painting whose subject matter belongs to the devotional tradition associated with ecclesiastical objects. Within that context, the work is recorded as depicting a lamb, an iconographic motif of central importance in Christian symbolism. The lamb represents Christ as the Agnus Dei, the sacrificial Lamb of God, evoking themes of redemption, sacrifice, and divine mercy.
Its presence on a crozier, the pastoral staff carried by bishops and abbots as a sign of their office, reinforces the imagery of Christ as the Good Shepherd who guides and protects the faithful. The pairing of pastoral authority with the sacrificial lamb underscores the bishop's role as guardian of the flock and steward of Christ's salvific mission.
Dated to circa 1350, the painting belongs to the genre of religious art, situating it firmly within the visual culture of medieval Christian devotion.
Technique & Style
The work titled Crozier is classified as a painting and was created in 1350, placing it in the mid‑14th century. It belongs to the religious genre, and its subject includes a lamb, a common symbolic element in devotional imagery. The painting is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is displayed in New York.
As a religious artwork, it reflects the devotional practices of the period, employing traditional iconography associated with saints and sacrifice. The composition and handling of the subject demonstrate the stylistic conventions of early religious painting, though specific technical details such as the exact medium or support are not documented in the available records.
History & Provenance
The Crozier is dated to 1350, a chronology established by both internal records and its Wikidata entry.
The painting has been part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held. No earlier ownership records or commissioning details are documented in the available sources, leaving its creation history and pre-Museum provenance unconfirmed.
The painting known as Crozier is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created around 1350 by an anonymous artist, the work depicts a lamb and is classified as religious art. The provided sources confirm its location at the museum but do not list a specific inventory or accession number, nor do they detail any past exhibitions.
Overview
This crozier, a ceremonial staff, dates from the 1300s and features intricate metalwork. Traditionally used by bishops and abbots, this example is distinguished by its elaborate head, culminating in a cross. Its historical context places it within a church's collection, reflecting its ecclesiastical purpose and the period's artisanal traditions.
Artist & collection
- A Bishop's Crozier
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