The Embroidered Binding of the Felbrigge Psalter

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Embroidered Binding of the Felbrigge Psalter THE EMBROIDERED BINDING OF THE FELBRIGGE PSALTER PENELOPE WALLIS THE MANUSCRIPT MANY fine medieval manuscripts are exhibited in the British Library's Grenville Library, but one ofthe most unusual is the Felbrigge Psalter (Sloane MS. 2400), which was probably written and illuminated in Northern France in about the middle of the thirteenth century.^ At some time the manuscript came to England and its calendar was altered, removing a number ofthe French saints and adding English ones, some having particular connections with East Anglia.^ Another apparent East Anglian link is the addition ofthe date ofthe dedication of Norwich Cathedral on 24 September.^ The Felbrigge Psalter later belonged to Anne Felbrigge, a nun in the House of Poor Clares at Bruisyard in Suffolk; her name is written in the manuscript/ Anne was the daughter of Sir Simon Felbrigge, KG, Standard Bearer to Richard II; her mother was Margaret, daughter of Primislaus, Duke of Teschen, and a cousin to Richard's queen, Anne of Bohemia, to whom she was also maid of honour.^ Sir Simon died in 1442, Margaret in 1416, and both are commemorated by a fine and interesting brass in Felbrigg church in Norfolk.^ Obits of Anne's parents are written into the calendar ofthe Psalter: two for Margaret in January and June and two for Sir Simon in December.^ A note written in the Psalter says that on the death of Sister Anne the manuscript passed into the possession ofthe convent at Bruisyard.^ THE BINDING AND OPUS ANGLIGANUM Two embroidered panels are set into the binding ofthe manuscript (figs, i, 2). These panels now measure 8| x 5I in. (front) and 8^ x 5^ in. (back), having been cut down somewhat and remounted, rather clumsily, in a sprinkled calf binding,^ the doublures and spine of which were later replaced. The fore-edge painting of the Felbrigge arms (or, a lion rampant gules) was clearly carried out before the manuscript was rebound, probably when it belonged to Anne. The embroidery, although very worn, is a fine example of Opus Anglicanum (English work), that magnificent English embroidery which reached its apogee between <;. 1260-70 and c. 1330-40. The panels can be dated to f. 1300-30.^^ 71 Fig. I. Felbrigge Psalter, Sloane MS. 2400: binding. Annunciation Eig. 2. Felbrigge Psalter, Sloane MS. 2400: binding. Crucifixion Unfortunately, at some time a varnish has been painted over them, giving them a rather dull appearance except where the varnish has worn away and the fresh, bright colours show through. Extremely fine embroidery was produced in England from Anglo-Saxon times until the Reformation; both surviving pieces and documentary sources give evidence for this. However, it was during tbis great period that it was most in demand throughout Europe. The historian and chronicler, Matthew Paris, writing in the middle of the thirteenth century, relates that, in 1246, Pope Innocent IV, on seeing some embroidered ecclesiastical vestments worn by English priests, sent letters to almost all ofthe Abbots of the Cistercian order in England, asking that they should send to him, without delay, these gold embroideries, with which he wished to decorate his copes and chasubles. ^^ Indeed, the Vatican inventory of 1295 lists more vestments with English embroidery than from any other country. ^^ It is from inventories that the name ''Opus Anglicanum^ comes, a term still used today to refer to this splendid English work.^^ Examples of Opus Anglicanum survive in many of the great ecclesiastical centres of Europe—for example, Rome, Pienza, Anagni, Toledo, S Bertrand-de-Comminges, and S Maximin; in museums such as those in Lyons, Madrid, and New York; and in the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Virtually all of the surviving pieces of embroidery are ecclesiastical vestments, but it is known that such work was also carried out for secular use. Little of the latter survives, but examples are documented in medieval illustrations. A beautifully worked horse-trapper showing the arms of Sir Geoffrey Luttrell, embroidered in silver on a blue background, can be seen in the Luttrell Psalter (Add. MS. 42130, fol. 202^) (fig. 3) and the famous Wilton Diptych in the National Gallery in London shows both Richard II and St Edmund of Bury wearing embroidered garments, the former with his badge, the hart, worked in gold.^'^ The panels of the Felbrigge Psalter binding are worked in coloured silks and silver gilt (gold coated on silver) thread on a twofold linen ground (a fine upper layer over a thicker lower one). The stitches used are split stitch for the silk whilst the metal threads are surface-couched on the background in a chevron pattern. ^^ This method of attaching the metal threads was rare in England at this date; indeed, in this respect these panels are unique survivals. The usual method of underside-couching produced a more attractive and probably more secure way of fixing the threads, ^^ but it involved a bulky line of stout thread under the ground fabric and, while this would make no difference to the surface of vestments, when the panel was pasted on to board it would cause the metal threads to stand out in higher relief. The use of sucb a technique suggests that the panels were specifically designed for a bookbinding. Both tbe silk and metal threads oftbe panels show much wear, with the underdrawing showing through in many places. A close inspection ofthe remaining metal threads shows their construction—a thin layer of silver gilt wound round a core of silk thread. Where the coloured silk threads survive they show varying tones of greens, blues and grey, browns, fawn and white, and a beautiful deep rose pink. 74 Eig. 3. Luttrell Psalter, Add. MS. 42130, fol. 202^: Sir Geoffrey Luttrell THE ICONOGRAPHY OF THE PANELS The front cover (fig. i) depicts the Annunciation^"^ with the Angel Gabriel approaching the Virgin Mary from the left, his right hand raised in a graceful gesture of greeting and his left holding a scroll. A number of regularly placed stitch marks suggest that the scroll was originally inscribed, doubtless with the words 'Ave Maria', which the Angel used in greeting Mary and which, although based on the text in the Vulgate version ofthe Bible ^^ are, in fact, actually those ofthe Angelus,^^ a form of words which is shown in a number of Annunciation scenes on English embroidered vestments of this date.^*^ The standing figure of Mary turns towards tbe Angel with her head bowed and her right hand raised, showing both surprise at tbe Angel's appearance and acquiescence in the role assigned to her. She holds a book in her right hand—a motif which dates back to the ninth century when a poem called 'Krist' by Otfried described Mary as reading the Psalter when the Angel arrived.^^ Above Mary the Holy Spirit, in the form ofthe Dove, flies down towards her. 22 ]V[ary wears a veil, a symbol of her continuing virginity, and all three figures are nimbed. 75 Eig. 4. Evesham Psalter, Add. MS. 44874, fol. 6: Crucifixion Between the figures of Mary and Gabriel stands a vase with a lily, the flower associated with the Virgin and symbolizing her purity. The three flowers on the stem (representing the three persons of the Holy Trinity) are red, the colour of blood, whicb in medieval colour symbolism was used to allude to tbe Sacrifice of the Cross. The back cover ofthe Psalter (fig. 2) shows the Crucifixion. ^^ Here the scene is depicted with poignant simplicity. Tbe twisted body of the dead Christ hangs on the cross with knees exaggeratedly bent, fixed with three nails—typical of Crucifixion scenes of this period—and with the mark oftbe lance wound in his side just visible.^ To the left and right stand the nimbed figures ofthe Virgin Mary and St John the Evangelist, both shown by the artist as expressing their sorrow. Mary has her head bowed and her hands clasped in front of her in an attitude of prayer; St John, also with bowed head, lifts his right hand to his face, hardly able to contain his grief, whilst his left hand is holding up the folds of his drapery. T'he straight-armed cross on which the figure of Christ hangs stands on a stylized hill formed by a pointed trefoil shape. Beneath this kneels a small figure looking up and seeming to hold a book in its upraised hands. Virtually all the stitches have worn away from this figure and it is impossible to see if it is male or female, although it is unlikely to have been in holy orders since fragments of blue and white silk survive around the edge, suggesting that it may have been a female, wearing a wimple. It is probable that this is a donor figure, perhaps the person who had the embroidered binding put on the book, but it is now unlikely that its identity will ever be known. An interesting comparison can be made between this Crucifixion scene with its 'donor' figure and a full-page illuminated miniature in the Evesham Psalter (Add. MS. 44874, fol. 6) (fig. 4).^^ This manuscript was written and illuminated for an abbot of Evesham after 1246 and it is he who is seen kneeling at the foot ofthe cross in a very similar position to that ofthe figure embroidered on the binding ofthe Felbrigge Psalter. In both scenes the artists have shown Mary and St John in similar poses of grief. The scenes of the Annunciation to Mary, representing the Incarnation, and the Crucifixion, the Sacrifice of Christ, were often linked together in medieval art, a number of examples appearing as embroidered scenes on English medieval vestments.^^ The Felbrigge Psalter is, however, unique in that its binding incorporates the only surviving example of Opus Anglicanum used in this way and apparently originally intended for this purpose.
Recommended publications
  • August 2021.Indd
    Search Press Ltd August 2021 The Complete Book of patchwork, Quilting & Appliqué by Linda Seward www.searchpress.com/trade SEARCH PRESS LIMITED The world’s finest art and craft books ADVANCE INFORMATION Drawing - A Complete Guide: Nature Giovanni Civardi Publication 31st August 2021 Price £12.99 ISBN 9781782218807 Format Paperback 218 x 152 mm Extent 400 pages Illustrations 960 Black & white illustrations Publisher Search Press Classification Drawing & sketching BIC CODE/S AFF, WFA SALES REGIONS WORLD Key Selling Points Giovanni Civardi is a best-selling author and artist who has sold over 600,000 books worldwide No-nonsense advice on the key skills for drawing nature – from understanding perspective to capturing light and shade Subjects include favourites such as country scenes, flowers, fruit, animals and more Perfect book for both beginner and experienced artists looking for an inspirational yet informative introduction to drawing natural subjects This guide is bind-up of seven books from Search Press’s successful Art of Drawing series: Drawing Techniques; Understanding Perspective; Drawing Scenery; Drawing Light & Shade; Flowers, Fruit & Vegetables; Drawing Pets; and Wild Animals. Description Learn to draw the natural world with this inspiring and accessible guide by master-artist Giovanni Civardi. Beginning with the key drawing methods and essential materials you’ll need to start your artistic journey, along with advice on drawing perspective as well as light and shade, learn to sketch country scenes, fruit, vegetables, animals and more. Throughout you’ll find hundreds of helpful and practical illustrations, along with stunning examples of Civardi’s work that exemplify his favourite techniques for capturing the natural world.
    [Show full text]
  • The Bayeux Tapestry
    The Bayeux Tapestry The Bayeux Tapestry A Critically Annotated Bibliography John F. Szabo Nicholas E. Kuefler ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD Lanham • Boulder • New York • London Published by Rowman & Littlefield A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706 www.rowman.com Unit A, Whitacre Mews, 26-34 Stannary Street, London SE11 4AB Copyright © 2015 by John F. Szabo and Nicholas E. Kuefler All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Szabo, John F., 1968– The Bayeux Tapestry : a critically annotated bibliography / John F. Szabo, Nicholas E. Kuefler. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4422-5155-7 (cloth : alk. paper) – ISBN 978-1-4422-5156-4 (ebook) 1. Bayeux tapestry–Bibliography. 2. Great Britain–History–William I, 1066–1087– Bibliography. 3. Hastings, Battle of, England, 1066, in art–Bibliography. I. Kuefler, Nicholas E. II. Title. Z7914.T3S93 2015 [NK3049.B3] 016.74644’204330942–dc23 2015005537 ™ The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992. Printed
    [Show full text]
  • Basic Blackwork Class – HL Anja Snihová Camarni
    Basic Blackwork Class – HL Anja Snihová Camarni I’m including in this handout a couple of different ways of explaining “how-to” in blackwork, because not every explanation works for every person. Also, please excuse the crass commercial plugs. I didn’t have time to completely re-write, so pretend that this somebody else’s. Which it is! Anja and MaryAnne are not the same person. <grin> MaryAnne Bartlett is a 21st century woman, making a living by writing and researching, designing and selling blackwork designs and products. Anja Snihova’ was born in the late 14th century and due to the potions that her alchemist husband makes, survived into the early 17th century! Beginning Blackwork Blackwork is a counted thread technique made popular in England in the 1500's by Catharine of Aragon, the Spanish first wife of King Henry VIII of England. It was immortalized in the incredibly detailed portraits done by the court painter, Hans Holbein, whose name is give to the stitch used, which is just a running stitch that doubles back on itself at the other end of its "journey". Blackwork can be anything from a simple line drawing to the complex pattern of #10 below, and on to designs so complex no one seems to know how to do them! It was usually done with silk thread on a white even-weave linen, and despite the name of the technique, was done in every colour of the rainbow, although black was the most popular colour, followed by red and blue. The most peculiar thing about this technique is that, done properly, the design repeats on both the right and wrong sides of the fabric, making it perfect for collars, cuffs, veils and ribbons where both sides need to look nice! Blackwork Embroidery Instructions 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Golden Threads & Silken Gardens 14Thcentury English Medieval
    Golden Threads & Silken Gardens 14th Century English Medieval Embroidery{Opus Anglicanum) By Dana Zeilinger . .having noticed that the ecclesiastical ornaments of certain English priests, such as choral copes and mitres, were embroidered in gold thread after a most desirable fashion, (the Pope) asked whence came this work. From England. They told him. Then exclaimed the Pope, 'England is for us surely a garden of delights..." -Mathew Paris {Chronica Majora) Christie's Education London Master's Programme September 2001 © Dana Zeilinger ProQuest Number: 13818857 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 13818857 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 (^VERS«*1 Abstract "In contrast to fashionable theories of the present day a medieval work of art asks to be understood as well as admired"- A.F. Kendrick. England, in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries became famous for its production of high quality embroidery known as Opus Anglicanum or "English Work". The majority of the surviving examples are religious vestments. Some secular pieces have survived but they are less well documented.
    [Show full text]
  • English Domestic Needlework of the Xvi, Xvii, and Xviii Centuries
    //5 R ENGLISH DOMESTIC NEEDLEWORK OF THE XVI, XVII, AND XVIII CENTURIES 4 Loan Exhibition November 5- December 2,1945 THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART FIFTH AVENUE AND 82 STREET, NEW YORK ENGLISH DOMESTIC NEEDLEWORK OF THE XVI, XVII, AND XVIII CENTURIES The present loan exhibition of English domestic covers, table carpets, and wall and bed hangings needlework is the first major show of its kind -among the most important types of Elizabethan ever held in this country, and it comprises some embroidery that have come down to us-are well two hundred and fifty distinguished items from represented. A unique pair of cushion covers with American and English collections. The embroi- scenesof the Sacrifice of Isaac and the Judgment deries thus assembled range in date from the of Solomon, lent from Hardwick Hall by the middle of the sixteenth century to the end of Duke of Devonshire, are of great historical as the eighteenth and include a great diversity of well as artistic interest. They are described in an types and objects. Costumes and costume acces- inventory (i 6o i) of the effects of the duke's sories, bookbindings, cushions and pillows, bed ancestress, Bess of Hardwick, one of the most hangings and coverlets, carpets, wall hangings, celebrated characters of her day. Her fourth hus- table covers, pictures, boxes, baskets,and samplers band, the Earl of Shrewsbury, was for nearly Mary, Queen are represented by numerous interesting exam- twenty years the custodian of of Scots, lived Shrewsburys ples. Furniture enriched with needlework may who with the at Hard- Both be seen in such varied forms as chairs, tables, wick.
    [Show full text]
  • English Embroidery: Polychrome Raised Work
    English Embroidery: Polychrome Raised Work Polychrome raised work was used to ornament clothing and accessories in England from the late 16th to mid-17th centuries. Scrolling floral patterns, called rinceau, along with fruits, small “beestes” and bugs were popular during the reign of Elizabeth I. Two simple stitches—chain and buttonhole—can be combined for a very flashy technique. The “detached and filled” buttonhole stitch is a variation often used in needle lace, sometimes called “corded Brussels” stitch. The work begins with tiny chain stitches to outline the areas to be filled in with color. Then as you work buttonhole across the first row, you catch the inner part of the chains to anchor your buttonhole stitches—they are called “detached” because your needle doesn’t pierce the fabric itself. Most of the colored yarn lies over the top of the fabric. You can work the solid areas flat, work them detached for loose petals or leaves, or can pad/stuff them to make the motif 3D, hence the name “raised work.” For this class, we’ll use cotton muslin as the ground fabric and two strands of DMC 100% cotton floss for the embroidery. Most historic pieces were linen or silk fabric with silk thread—and often gold--embroidery. If you use lightweight linen or silk for a project, you must back it with another piece of fabric (or fusible interfacing) before you begin to embroider. If you plan to include any goldwork, you must use a frame, either scroll-type or a slate frame. Do NOT use a hoop! It will damage the ground fabric.
    [Show full text]
  • Embroiderers' Guild of America Master Craftsman Program Crewel Step
    Embroiderers’ Guild of America Master Craftsman Program Crewel Step One Basic Crewel Embroidery Purpose: To exhibit mastery of basic embroidery technique. General Requirements: Please read your crewel information sheets. You must include with your piece a stitch diagram (a drawing of the design with stitches noted in their place.) On this diagram list the stitches you have used and your reference sources for these stitches. Any references you use that are not listed on the bibliography must be photocopied and included with your piece since the judges may not have access to the material. Fold and attach an identification tag (see information package) securely to the back of your work in such a way that your name is not visible. Design: Use the enclosed design. Design Size: Do not enlarge, reduce, or change the design. Fabric: Linen twill Fabric Size: Allow at least four inches on all sides of the design. Threads: Crewel wool – send samples of each color of wool, identified with color number and brand names. Colors: Complementary or split-complementary color scheme. You must include a written description specifying your color scheme. Stitches: Use all of the following stitches. They must be worked in their basic form with no variations. Buttonhole Long and Short (soft shading) French knot Chain Outline Three optional stitches Judging: Judging is based on the following: Accuracy in following directions Suitability of materials Fabric preparation and blocking Transfer of design Knowledge of color and design Overall presentation Balanced use of stitches Excellence in stitch execution Examples of successfully completed pieces: Pat Goaley Step 5: Elizabethan Elizabeth Gibson Step 1 Marguerite Gibson Step 1 Tana Dixon Midnight Fantasy Step 6 Elizabeth Gibson Step 2 Bibliography Alfred, Lady Marion, Needlework as Art, London, Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, and Rivington, 1886.
    [Show full text]
  • Page 1 LEONIDA LEATHERDALE NEEDLE ARTS LIBRARY
    LEONIDA LEATHERDALE NEEDLE ARTS LIBRARY SUBJECT AUTHOR TITLE PUBLISHER YEAR PRINTED ASSISSI Canetta, Alfredo (Editor) RICAMI D'ASSISI Mani Di Fata 1973 DMC Library ASSISSI EMBROIDERIES Editions Th de Dillmant 1974 Leszner, Eva Maria ASSISI EMBROIDERY B.T.Batsford Ltd 1988 Ness, Pamela Miller ASSISI EMBROIDERY Dover Publications, Inc 1979 Zimmerman, Jane D. ASSISI EMBROIDERY Self Published 1977 BANNERS Achen, Sven Tito SYMBOLS AROUND US Van Nostrand Reinhold 1978 Alexander, Eugene FABRIC PICTURES Mills & Boone Limited 1968 Anderson, R. W. BANNERS, BANNERS, BANNERS, ETC Christian Art Associates 1967 Babington, Audrey CREATIVE WALL HANGINGS & Arco Publishing Inc 1982 PANELS Ballarian, Anna FABRIC COLLAGE Davis Publications, Inc 1976 Banks, Dorothy BANNERS Self Published Beaney, Jan FUN WITH COLLAGE Kaye & Ward 1970 Binder, Pearl MAGIC SYMBOLS OF THE WORLD Hamlyn 1973 Blair, Margot BANNERS AND FLAGS Harcourt Brace Jovano 1977 Brooke-Little, J. P. AN HERALDIC ALPHABET Arco Publishing Inc 1973 Embroiderers' Guild of Victoria BANNER JOURNAL Self published 2012 Kay, Frances STARTING FABRIC COLLAGE Studio Vista 1969 Laliberte, Norman BANNERS AND HANGINGS Reinhold Book Corporation 1966 Lehner, Ernst THE PICTURE BOOK OF SYMBOLS Wm. Penn Publishing Co 1956 Metzig, William HERALDRY FOR THE DESIGNER Van Nostrand Reinhold Post, W. Ellwood SAINTS, SIGN & SYMBOLS Morehouse-Barlow Co 1974 Page 1 Shepherd, Walter SHEPHERD'S GLOSSARY OFOF GRAPHIC Dover Publications, Inc 1971 GRAPHIC SIGNS AND SYMBOLS Sherman, Vera WALL HANGINGS OF TODAY Charles T. Branford
    [Show full text]
  • Nyonya Embroideries We Know of Patterns, Typically from Woodblocks, Date to the Mid-19Th Century
    BIBLIOASIA OCT – DEC 2017 Vol. 13 / Issue 03 / Feature Symbolism and Ornamentation extant nyonya embroideries we know of patterns, typically from woodblocks, date to the mid-19th century. Women’s made it easier for embroiderers to re- Nyonya needlework is characterised footwear and purses were the most produce conventional imagery in thread. by exquisite workmanship, complex commonly embroidered items, but it However, few have managed to survive as Cheah Hwei-Fe’n examines the impact of textures and fine motifs, often out of was at wedding celebrations that nyonya these printed papers have degraded over print media on the time-honoured craft of scale with each other. Patterns were needlework was at its most glorious, time when designs were transferred onto 3 Peranakan embroidery and beadwork. often worked in silk floss and twisted taking the form of soft furnishings in fabric. Extant Qing dynasty (1644−1911) NYONYA silk yarns, iridescent peacock feath- the nuptial chamber and accessories for pattern books carried a range of arche- ers, glass and metal beads, and gold the wedding couple and their entourage typal designs, from individual motifs of and silver threads of different textures. (see figure 1). birds and flowers that could be arranged The interplay of luxurious materials and Befitting such occasions, nyonya by the embroiderer to more intricate and NEEDLEWORK AND THE kaleidoscopic colours have all conspired needlework was typically decorated completed compositions for purses and to create highly decorative, tactile and with auspicious images of flowers, shoes. These pattern books also included scintillating surfaces. animals and precious objects drawn complex scenes featuring mythological Whether they were stitched by Per- from Chinese art and symbols.
    [Show full text]
  • Newsletter Sandie Delorenzo [email protected]
    ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + Summer 2021 New York Capital DATES TO REMEMBER June 8 Embroiderers’ District Chapter Joint Meeting Via Zoom - Guild of America “Why You Need a Little Yellow in Your Life” ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ By Jacquie Clarkson A Summer Day of Stitching Together July 1 Deadline for Summer In Person!! by Helen O’Connor, Retreat Coordinator Stitching Day registration e are excited to tell you that we’ve decided to have a W one day stitching retreat Saturday, August 21st, July 30 (rain date 8/28) at Ararat in Greenville, the venue we World Embroidery Day have been using for a long time. We normally would have a three August 21 (raindate August 28) or four day retreat, of course, but these are not normal times. Summer Stitching Day at Instead of using the dining room, we are going to use the outdoor Ararat Pavilion, which seats many people, and has plenty of room for everyone to sit comfortably, either at a table alone or, if one chooses, with friends. I’m told there are plenty of electrical outlets. Masks are optional and there is no vaccination CONTACT INFO requirement. We will be outdoors. You can arrive as early as 9:00 a.m. and stay as late as 7:00 p.m. The cost for the day is NATIONAL $25.00. You need to bring your usual stitching supplies, lighting, magnification, and chair Embroiderers’ Guild cushion or special chair if you want one. There are two restrooms behind the Pavilion, and of America www.egausa.org there’s another one near the dining room as well.
    [Show full text]
  • Cora Ginsburg Llc Titi Halle Owner
    CORA GINSBURG LLC TITI HALLE OWNER A Catalogue of exquisite & rare works of art including 16th to 20th century costume textiles & needlework Winter 2007 by appointment 19 East 74th Street tel 212-744-1352 New York, NY 10021 fax 212-879-1601 www.coraginsburg.com [email protected] REDWORK PANEL Italian, ca. 1600 Italian embroideries of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries display a sophisticated use of double running stitch, worked here in red silk on a linen ground to create this exceptional cutwork panel. Within an arrangement of forty- eight squares, individual motifs repeat randomly; additionally, a narrow column on one side contains complete motifs embroidered to fit the reduced space. Most prominent among the design is the rare use of a female head placed among the stylized birds, cupids, floral urns, stags, and other animals typically seen in embroideries of this period. With the portraiture, the simple outlining on the natural linen foundation is used to great effect to capture the profile of a stylish woman enveloped in her ruff. Redwork embroidery appears in seventeenth-century coverlets, workbags and borders but rarely in the openwork form seen here. Throughout the piece, the cut edges are outlined in yellow silk providing a subtle addition of color to the distinctive red palette. Smaller squares, appearing at the interstices of the patterns, are filled in with a dotted floral pattern also worked in yellow. Only three other examples of redwork in this cutwork style are known: one is illustrated in Naalden Werken Wonderen, Museum Willet Holthuysen, Amsterdam, plate 88, and two are in private collections.
    [Show full text]
  • Heraldic Embroidery by Senhora Rafaella D'allemtejo, Gds [email protected] an Tir Heraldic Symposium, A.S
    Heraldic Embroidery by Senhora Rafaella d'Allemtejo, GdS [email protected] An Tir Heraldic Symposium, A.S. XXXV April 28, 2001 C.E. Heraldic motifs are just one of the design options available to the period needleworker. One must have a feel for period design and execution in order to understand its heraldic execution. I plan to cover the following in this class: • What are heraldic motifs? What makes them different from other designs? • What are the stitches used in period for this work? (and examine examples of period work) • Go through the design/planning process with a simple heraldic charge. Lots of designs are heraldic. With needlework you can replicate any device or badge design. Heraldic "allusion" is often used in garb and needlework projects, where pieces of the design are alluded to, but the full device is not used. For example, my device is "Sable, on a chevron throughout argent an escallop vert". For the blazon-challenged that translates as: On a black field, a white chevron that goes to the top of the shield, and in the upper point of the chevron a green scallop shell with the fan pointing down. [The Shell Oil scallop shell is an "escallop inverted" or fan pointing up.] If I wanted to use heraldic allusion on an outfit, I could use the simple shell outline in any color. What makes a design heraldic? It's the use of stylized charges. A charge being the design motif (cow, shell, fess, chevron, roundel, star, etc.) used on shields to identify individuals. A heraldic design should have good contrast, follow certain space-filling rules, and be static and stylized in presentation.
    [Show full text]