Where can I see Fragment of a Compendium of the Genealogy of Christ?

Fragment of a Compendium of the Genealogy of Christ is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Fragment of a Compendium of the Genealogy of Christ?

Fragment of a Compendium of the Genealogy of Christ is associated with Romanesque.

Fragment of a Compendium of the Genealogy of Christ (1230)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

These figures are arranged within an architectural framework characteristic of 13th-century devotional art, emphasizing the sacred ancestry of Christ.

The fragment depicts scenes from the Genealogy of Christ, tracing the biblical lineage from Adam to Jesus. These figures are arranged within an architectural framework characteristic of 13th-century devotional art, emphasizing the sacred ancestry of Christ. The work belongs to the broader tradition of illuminated religious paintings used in liturgical contexts, reflecting medieval theological interests in divine genealogy.

Its composition and iconography served didactic purposes, instructing viewers on the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies in the New Testament. The fragment originates from a larger compendium likely intended for private or monastic contemplation, linking artistic form to spiritual instruction in the medieval period.

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting created on wood panel, measuring 166.5 cm in height and 33.2 cm in width. Executed around 1230, it belongs to the religious tradition and exemplifies a restrained compositional structure typical of early 13th-century devotional imagery. The surface shows signs of age, with a muted tonal range and subtle craquelure, indicating careful handling over centuries.

Its stylistic restraint lies in the linear precision of the figures and the limited palette, which together convey a solemn, iconographic focus rather than naturalistic expression.

History & Provenance

The Fragment of a Compendium of the Genealogy of Christ is an anonymous religious painting dated to 1230. Created as a fragment of a larger compendium, the work measures 166.5 cm in height and 33.2 cm in width. It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it has been cataloged since its inception in the year 1230.

The Fragment of a Compendium of the Genealogy of Christ is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, an anonymous painting dated to 1230, measures 166.5 cm in height and 33.2 cm in width. The provided sources do not contain specific inventory or accession numbers for the fragment, nor do they record any exhibition history.

Legacy

The fragment was attributed to an anonymous painter in contemporary scholarship and has been part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection since its acquisition, where it is displayed as a key example of 13th-century religious painting. Its composition of genealogical figures influenced later depictions of Christ's ancestry in Western art, particularly during the Gothic period, shaping narrative cycles in panel paintings and illuminated manuscripts. The work's stylistic elements, including its elongated forms and symbolic gestures, were referenced by Renaissance artists seeking to emulate medieval iconography, cementing its reputation as a foundational piece in the visual genealogy tradition.

Overview

This 13th-century painting is a detailed, compact family tree of Jesus Christ, presented in a circular format with subdivided sections, on a worn, aged page.