St. Paul Silver Plaque in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, August 2007

Silver Plaque with St. Paul
Made 550-600

Accession #50.5.2

The typical image of Saint Paul- with a long face, receding hairline, and pointed beard- was established during the first centuries of the Christian church. Here, Paul holds a book, an appropriate symbol for the author of many of the texts of the New Testament. This plaque and the one showing Saint Peter under a similar arch may have flanked a lost central panel depicting Christ, as parts of an icon, or religious devotional image.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.