Textile Fabrics: A Descriptive Catalogue of the Collection of Church-vestments, Dresses, Silk Stuffs, Needlework and Tapestries, forming that Section of the MuseumRock, Daniel
History
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
_argent_ and _gules_, which was the blazon of Thornell de Suffolk; and
the other,--_azure_ three cinque-foils _argent_, that of the family
of Fitton, according to a MS. ordinary of arms, drawn up by Robert
Glover, some time Somerset herald. In the subject of the shepherds,
the ground is so plentifully sprinkled with growing daisies, that it
seems as if it were done on purpose to tell us that she whose hands
had wrought the work was called Margaret; as the flower was in French
designated “La Marguerite,” it became the symbol of that saint’s name,
and not unfrequently was the chosen emblem of the females who bore it.
8226.
Gold Embroidery on purple silk over a white cotton ground, with figures
of our Saviour and of the apostles St. Peter, St. Simon, and St.
Philip. Sicilian work, done about the end of the 12th century. 14½
inches by 7 inches.
This piece of needlework with its figures, as well as its
architectural accessories, wrought in gold thread, though rude in its
execution, is not without an interest. In it the liturgical student
will find the half of an apparel (for it has been unfeelingly cut in
half at some remote time) for the lower hem in front of the linen
garment known as the alb. Originally it must have consisted of seven
figures; one of our Lord, in the middle, sitting upon a throne in
majesty with the Α on the one side and the Ω on the other side of His
nimbed head, and His right hand uplifted in the act of bestowing His
benediction. To the left must have been three apostles; to the right
are still to be seen the other three, nearest our Saviour, St. Peter,
holding in his left hand a double-warded key, next to him St. Simon,
with his right hand in the act of blessing, and holding in his left
a saw fashioned not like ours, but as that instrument is still made
in Italy, and last of all St. Philip, but without any symbol. What
look like half-moons with a little dot in the inside, and having a
cross between them, are nothing more than the word “Sanctus,” thus
contracted with the letter S written as the Greek sigma formed like
our C, a common practice in Italy during the middle ages, as may be
seen in the inscriptions given by writers on Palæography.
Our Lord is seated within an elongated trefoil, and, at each corner
at the outward sides, is shown one of His emblems, better known as
the Evangelists’ symbols hinted at by the prophet Ezekiel, i. 10:
of these, two are very discernible, the winged human bust, commonly
called St. Matthew’s emblem, at top, and the nimbed and winged horned
ox or calf for St. Luke. The Apostles all stand within round-headed
arches, the spandrils of which are filled in with a kind of diaper
ornamentation.
8227.
Piece of Crimson Silk, with pattern woven in gold thread. Sicilian,
early 13th century. 10½ inches by 7 inches.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account