Ornamented Metal Hinge from Watch Tower, Frankfurt am Main 1850 - 1900

This is an anonymous drawing of an ornamented metal hinge from a watch tower in Frankfurt am Main. The image shows a design for a functional object, yet the drawing itself elevates the object to something of artistic merit. Consider the role of institutions such as museums in defining what constitutes art. It's no accident this design drawing is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum. Medieval Frankfurt was a center of trade and Imperial politics, and its fortifications, like this watch tower, reflected its status. The decorative ironwork, here rendered in meticulous detail, speaks to the city's wealth and the importance of civic pride. By studying city archives, guild records, and collections like this one, we can understand how this kind of design reflected and reinforced the social order of its time.