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Roof Boss
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
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.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineRoof Boss, 1400s. Northern Spain, 15th century. Limestone with traces of polychromy; overall: 76.2 x 76.2 cm (30 x 30 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust, 1919.1024
