1251.
Printed Silk Taffeta; ground, very light purple; design, a scroll, block-printed in deeper purple, and edged black. Sicilian, 13th century. 8-3/4 inches by 6 inches.
The boughs, sprouting into a sort of trefoil, are gracefully twined
with a bold free hand; and the scroll reminds us of much of the like
sort of ornament found, in this country, on various art-works of its time.
As an early specimen of block-printing upon silk, it is valuable and rare.
1252.
Part of an Altar-Frontal, embroidered, in coloured threads, upon coarse canvas; design, within a medallion, the ground, light blue and broad border, fawn-colour, a figure, seated, holding in his left-hand a staff, and having on his knee an open book inscribed,—"Ego sum Liber Vite." The figure is clothed in a girded white tunic, and a mantle now fawn-coloured; but the head is so damaged that the personage cannot be recognized; the probability is that it represents our Lord in majesty, having the staff of a cross in one hand and giving His blessing with the other. German, early 12th century, 12-3/4 inches by 10 inches.
1252A.
Part of an Altar-Frontal; design, the busts of two winged and nimbed angels, within round arches, bearing between them a white scroll with these words—"Deus Sabaoth." This was a portion of the frontal mentioned above. German, early 12th century. 17 inches by 7-1/4 inches. In both pieces the parts now fawn-coloured have faded into such from crimson.
