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Beds

3 min read
Beds

The Metropolitan Museum has a wide variety of bed-related artworks, ranging from ancient to modern times. These artworks provide insight into how different cultures have used beds, both for practical and ceremonial purposes. Some of the bed-related artworks in The Metropolitan Museum date back thousands of years, while others were created more recently. No matter their age, these artworks offer a fascinating glimpse into how beds have been used throughout history.

The Annunciation

Netherlandish, Seligenstadt, active by 1465–died 1494 Bruges / The Met

    This painting is one of the largest surviving depictions of the Annunciation.
    The painting was most likely commissioned by Ferry de Clugny, whose family coat of arms - the two joined keys - decorates the carpet and stained-glass window.

Aegina Visited by Jupiter

French, Tournus 1725–1805 Paris / The Met

    Greuze insisted on submitting a painting to the Académie Royale that would gain him entry as a history painter, resulting in numerous false starts including this ambitious but unfinished canvas.
    It evokes the goddess Danaë, but may represent Aegina, daughter of the river god Aeopus who was visited by Jupiter and carried off by him in the form of an eagle.
    In 1767, Greuze wrote to Diderot that he "should very much like to paint a woman totally nude without offending modesty," perhaps in reference to this work.
    In 1769, however, Greuze finally submitted a different subject, his ill-fated Septimus Severus and Caracalla, today in the Musée du Louvre.

The Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist

Netherlandish, Brussels ca. 1492–1541/42 Brussels / The Met

    This panel once formed the right wing of an altarpiece dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, the left wing of which is nearby.
    Recounted in biblical texts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, this pendant shows the martyrdom of the saint.
    John had been thrown into prison by King Herod for preaching against the latter's decision to marry his brother's wife, Herodias.
    Scheming with her mother to get rid of John, Salome danced seductively before Herod, thereafter demanding the head of John the Baptist as a reward.
    Herod reluctantly agreed, and the head of Saint John was delivered to Salome on a platter.

The Annunciation

Netherlandish, Cleve ca. 1485–1540/41 Antwerp / The Met

    The painting is set in a richly furnished interior that would have been familiar to sixteenth-century viewers.
    The painting is influenced by Italian art, and Joos appropriated a new canon of beauty, a new repertory of rhetorical gesture, and a striking grace of movement in his figures.

The Birth and Naming of Saint John the Baptist; (reverse) Trompe-l'oeil with Painting of The Man of Sorrows

Netherlandish, Brussels ca. 1492–1541/42 Brussels / The Met

    This panel once formed the left wing of an altarpiece dedicated to Saint John the Baptist that was commissioned by abbot Jacques Coëne for the Benedictine Abbey Church in Marchiennes, near Tournai.
    It depicts Saint Elizabeth in bed, shortly after giving birth to the newborn saint.
   Zacharias appears at the entrance to her room, carrying a scroll which declares his son's name will be John
    The pendant shows the moment after the Baptist's death, when Salome receives his head on a platter.
   The centerpiece of the triptych, likely a sculpture of the Baptism of Christ, has not survived

From 14th Century To 15th Century

From 14th Century To 15th Century

During the 14th and 15th centuries, artists in Europe began to break away from the traditional Gothic style. They began to experiment with new techniques and styles, resulting in a period of great creativity and innovation in the arts. Some of the most famous artworks from this period include the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, and the sculptures of Donatello. Box with Romance Scenes     This coffret illustrated with scenes from Arthurian and other courtly literature of the M
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From 1819 To 1826

From 1819 To 1826

The 19th century was a time of great change in the world of art. Artists began to experiment with new styles and media, and the art world was forever changed as a result. Some of the most famous artists of the time include Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Pablo Picasso. The Falls of Niagara     The painting is of Niagara Falls from the Canadian side.     The painting is based on a vignette of the falls from a map of North America published by Henry S. Tanner in 1822. Heroic Landscape w
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From 1787 To 1800

From 1787 To 1800

The 18th century was a time of great change in the world of art. New styles and genres emerged, and artists began to experiment with new techniques and materials. The art of the 18th century reflected the changing times, and the growing interest in the natural world and the human form. Elizabeth Farren (born about 1759, died 1829), Later Countess of Derby     The Irish actress Elizabeth Farren made her London debut in 1777 and soon became one of the most popular comic performers of the day.  
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