The Melk Chasuble, an Opus Anglicanum
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THE MELK CHASUBLE, AN OPUS ANGLICANUM BY HANNA KRONBERGER-FRENTZEN F late years the great artistic and paintings is also to be found in the beautiful technical merit of early English em- needlework of the Melk Chasuble. broidery and its widespread diffusion The subject of the crucifixion is often used in in various parts of Europe, has been English embroidery. It is to be met with in demonstrated again and again. Thus nearly all the famous series of designs with the oldest chasuble [PLATES A and B] of Melk which vestments are usually decorated. But Cathedral, hitherto regarded as an unknown there it always formed part of all the other piece of embroidery, must now be recognized as scenes, except that it is placed in the centre in Opus Anglicanum. Professor Tietze 1 mentions order to emphasize its significance. Thus we this chasuble as an iconographically interest- find it-to mention only a few-on the famous ing specimen of the early fourteenth century, Syon cope in the Victoria and Albert Museum without stating its origin. In spite of every and on those in the Vatican,5 also on that in the effort, it has proved impossible to trace how the Museo Civico in Bologna, and on that in Ascoli- chasuble found its way to the Treasury of the Piceno (the latter being the gift of Pope Nicholas Cathedral. Perhaps we may assume a certain IV). In the rare cases where the Crucifixion connexion with the cope, which until lately occurs alone, it is on a very small scale. It may belonged to the Cathedralof Salzburg and which be seen on the front of a burse (T. 45) in the was known for certain to be Opus Anglicanum. Victoria and Albert Museum with simple squat Unfortunately the Melk Chasuble is so worn figures, surrounded by a flat quarterfoil. It that little of its former splendour is left. It might almost have been intended for one of the may be regarded as a slight compensation that panels of a cope which was later turned into an the original form of this vestment has been pre- almsburse. ,Only in one case do we find a served without vital alteration, a very rare crucifixion alone, a composition designed for occurrence, as chasubles of this shape, the this special purpose: on one side of the bell-shaped chasubles, have nearly always embroideredcover of a Latin Psalter in the been transformed into the later and more British Museum (MS. written at the end of C. practical form with separate front and back. 13). The embroidery is very threadbare, but In most cases this naturally meant a con- still recognizable as a masterpiece. Since siderable loss of valuable material. The Melk Lethaby 6 states that one of the most famous Chasuble has only been altered by the cutting wall paintings of Westminster Abbey is the of armholes, which destroys no important part prototype of the Annunciation depicted on the of the design. The connoisseur of early em- other side of the cover, we may take it for broidery sees at once that-faded and thread- granted that the crucifixion also had some bare though this specimen may be-it is a very famous model. unusual piece of work. It differs from all The Melk Crucifixion has a certain similarity hitherto known vestments worked in the period with the one on this book cover, especially as of Opus Anglicanum in so far as it represents regards the figure of Christ. But there are also one scene only, repeated back and front: the points of similarity to be found with figures on Crucifixion. Its figures are on so large a scale some of the famous copes above mentioned. In and of such monumental conception that no other every case, however, the figures on the Melk specimen of early English embroidery can be Chasuble appear to be more rigid and more compared with it. The close connexion with hieratic. This may be due to its large size, works of contemporary English painting is evi- which involved an unusual amount of work to dent. It reminds one of the Crucifixion with the embroiderersof that time. Saints (125o-1300) in the church at Newport, The style of the Melk Chasuble indicates that Essex,2 of the Crucifixion with the Virgin and it dates about 1300. The figures show the St. John (1290-1300), Bapchild Church, Kent,3 characteristic curve of that period, which is and, above all, of the same subject in the Chapel recognizable even in the frontal attitude of the of St. Faith (1270-I300) in Westminster Abbey.4 figure of St. John. They also have the wide Something of the severe grandeur of these open eyes with the archaic sidelong glance. 1 ," Oesterreichische Kunsttopographie Bd. III Bezirk Although the scenes on both sides of the vest- Melk bearbeitet von Dr. Hans Tietze," p. 269, pl. xii, xiii. ment are almost show various 2 Tancred Borenius and T. W. Tristram: identical, they "English, 5 " Medieval Painting," pl. 25. Andreas Lindbloem: An English Embroidery in the 3 E. T. Long: " Some recently discoveredc English Wall- Vatican," THE BURLINGTON MAGAZINE, Vol. XXXIX (1921), THE BURLINGTON MAGAZINE, Vol. LVI p. 121, pl. I-III. paintings," (193o), 6 " p. 225, pl. IIA. W. R. Lethaby: English Primitives: London Painters 4 Tancred Borenius and T. W. Tristram: " English and Opus Anglicanum." THE BURLINGTON MAGAZINE, Vol. Medieval Painting," pl. 20. LIII (1928), p. 173, pl. A, B. 68 Burlington Magazine is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs ® www.jstor.org TheMelk Chasuble, an OpusAnglicanum degrees of expression. On the front the whole Thomas, chief painter of Henry II1 and group is more ecstatic. The Virgin stretches Edward I.8 her arms up towards the cross with an expression As far as the technique of the Melk Chasuble of deep despair. St. John turns his head away goes, it shows all the characteristics of Opus in anguish [PLATE A]. The representationon the Anglicanum. This specimen belongs to the other side gives an impression of greater group in which a coloured silk is used as back- resignation. The head of Christ is sunk lower ground, whereas in the other group the ground and appears more lifeless. The head of the is linen entirely covered with embroidery. In Virgin is bent above her crossed hands in pious the Melk Chasuble a very fine thin silk of dark submission. St. John also seems to be calmer plum red has been used for the background. as he turns to comfort her [PLATE B]. This Its violet-purple colour, as well as its diagonal difference of expression suffices to prove the texture, reminds one of late antique materials. artistic delicacy of this masterpiece of early The silk is backed with coarse linen through needlework. which all the stitches are sewn. This underlay The composition and the colouring of the comes through in many places and holds the groups are magnificent and, in spite of the wealth embroidery together, although the silk is worn of the surrounding detail, the figures stand out away. Silk and metal thread have been used, with perfect clearness. The cross is placed in the latter being very well preserved. Its the centre. Each of its plain beams, shaded material is Cyprian gold around fine linen green, ends in a circle containing one of the thread. There is also some silver thread to be emblems of the four Evangelists. Above the found, darkened by age. The metal threads crossbeam the sun and moon are depicted with are closely sewn down with small silk stitches clearly drawn human faces. Similarly we find and always laid in the same direction. The rows them in the spandrels of architecturalornamenta- of stitches sometimes form a zig-zag diaper. tion surrounding Christ Enthroned on a panel The colours of the silk threads are chiefly red, of embroidered silk in the Victoria and Albert yellow, green, blue and pale pink, all very much Museum (T. 337, 1921). In the circle at the faded. Black stitching often forms the top of the cross the of St. is depicted. outlines and adds emphasis to the drawing. eagle John The Christ's body, strongly curved with crossed feet, closely worked chain and split stitches is fixed to the cross with three nails. The follow the lines of the drawing. They model anatomy of the naked is without finer gradations of shade. In the body accurately faces and modelled by the stitches. The loincloth as well on the figure of Christ the stitches are laid in an infallible of as the garments of the and St. are spirals, sign Opus Virgin John The contraction caused these edged with narrow coloured borders. The Anglicanum. by halos are decorated in the same Alternate stitches forms those characteristic little hollows way. in which the remains intact dark and light silks denote the wavy lines of embroidery long, the hair. The under and are after the surrounding work is worn away. upper garments At the the of the vestment is always of different colours. In many places throat, edge the fur is the heraldic bordered by a rather narrow woven orphrey lining suggested by with ornaments. little of pattern. The background behind the cross is geometrical Very ornamented with the well-known heraldic fleur the semi circular outline of the chasuble seems to be cut The border is sewn on de lis, a favourite motive in English embroid- away. The of the is to the linen underlay, which is visible all round, ery.