id: 99453 accession number: 1919.1023 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1919.1023 updated: Roof Boss, 1400s. Northern Spain, 15th century. Limestone with traces of polychromy ; overall: 73.7 x 73.7 cm (29 x 29 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust 1919.1023 title: Roof Boss title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: 1400s creation date earliest: 1400 creation date latest: 1499 current location: creditline: Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust copyright: --- culture: Northern Spain, 15th century technique: limestone with traces of polychromy department: Medieval Art collection: MED - Gothic type: Sculpture find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: Overall: 73.7 x 73.7 cm (29 x 29 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE reportedly from the vaulted ceiling of a monastery in northern Spain. (P. W. French and Co., New York). date: footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: digital description: wall description: In medieval architecture, a "boss" refers to an ornamentally carved, often painted and gilded, keystone. It was placed at the intersection of ribs in a vaulted roof in order to lock its members into position. Noteworthy examples are found in many of Europe's monastic cloisters and cathedrals. This example and the other shown nearby are reportedly from the vaulted ceiling of a monastery in Northern Spain. Their principal decorative motif consists of a spray of acanthus leaves. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1919.1023/1919.1023_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1919.1023/1919.1023_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1919.1023/1919.1023_full.tif