Textile Fabrics: A Descriptive Catalogue of the Collection of Church-vestments, Dresses, Silk Stuffs, Needlework and Tapestries, forming that Section of the MuseumRock, Daniel
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Textile Fabrics: A Descriptive Catalogue of the Collection of Church-vestments, Dresses, Silk Stuffs, Needlework and Tapestries, forming that Section of the Museum
Rock, Daniel
Art objects -- England -- London -- Catalogs; Textile fabrics
Though the needlework upon this chasuble is effective at a distance,
like much of the embroidery of the time, both in this country and
abroad, it is found to be very rude and coarse when seen near. The
style of the whole ornamentation is so very English that there is no
mistaking it. The back orphrey is in the shape of a cross; and on
it, and figured at top, Melchisedek with three loaves in his hand;
beneath him, the prophet Malachi, on the left of whom we have Abraham
with a large broad sacrificial knife in his hand, on the right, King
David and his harp; these three form the transom of the cross. Going
downward, we see St. John the Evangelist with the chalice; below this
apostle, David again; and, last of all, half the person of some saint.
On the front orphrey are given St. James the Greater, and two prophets
of the Old Law. This chasuble, with its stole and maniple, is said to
have been found at Bath, hidden behind the wainscot of a house there.
Certain it is that the chasuble has been much cut down. The original
size was far larger.
4046, 4046A.
Stole and Maniple; ground, tawny-coloured velvet, embroidered with
flowers in gold and coloured silks. English, 15th century. Stole, 8
feet 6 inches by 2¾ inches; maniple, 3 feet 3 inches by 2¾ inches.
The embroidery is quite of the style of the period, and in character
with that usually found upon the commoner class of English vestments,
done in flos-silk and gold thread, after a large design. The velvet is
Italian, and this tone of colour seems to have been then in favour.
4059.
Piece of Woven Orphrey; ground, crimson silk; subject, the Assumption
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in yellow silk. Florentine, 15th century. 2
feet 9 inches by 8¾ inches.
This favourite subject of all art-schools in the mediæval period is
treated here much after other examples in this collection, as No.
8977, &c., but with some variations, and better design and drawing.
The Eternal Father, with glory round Him, and two cherubim, is putting
a crown upon the head of St. Mary, who is seated upon sunbeams
surrounded by angels, while she drops her girdle to St. Thomas as
he kneels at her late grave, now filled with new-blown lilies, and
bearing on its front the words “Assunta est.” “Assunta” for “Assumpta”
is the weaver’s own blunder. Dr. Bock gives a plate of it in his
“Geschichte der Liturgischen Gewänder des Mittelalters,” 1 Band, 2
Lieferung, pl. xvi.
4061.
Piece of Raised Velvet; ground, pale yellow silk; pattern, in raised
velvet, a large oblong square, having within a border of corn-flowers
a large star-like inflorescence, and each square separated by a border
or band charged with liliaceous flowers, in crimson raised velvet, in
part upon a silver ground, now blackened, surrounded by an ornament in
amber-streaked green in raised velvet. Italian, late 16th century. 4
feet by 1 foot 1 inch.
Another of the several specimens of the rich raised velvet for
furnishing purposes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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