Lectern in the Form of an Eagle 1500

This enormous lectern in the form of an eagle was made by Jehan Aert van Tricht around 1500, out of hammered brass. The way the metal has been worked is astonishing. Just consider the eagle on top. Its feathers are articulated with incredible precision, and its monumental scale amplifies the sacred words it once held. The entire structure is ornate, with the eagle towering above a profusion of architectural and figurative details. This piece is a virtuoso display, meant to be admired, not only for its beauty, but for the sheer amount of labor involved. Brass was a valuable material, and highly skilled artisans were needed to coax it into such elaborate forms. The lectern therefore speaks to a culture of conspicuous consumption, advertising the wealth and sophistication of the church that commissioned it. Thinking about the object this way, as a product of collective effort and social forces, can help us move beyond traditional distinctions between art and craft.