the Louvre, almost the same in pattern, but differing much in colour, from the specimen before us. In the specimen at Paris little dogs and dragons, both in pairs, come in, but here they are wanting; so that we may learn that, to give variety to the pattern, parts were changed. Upon the shield there is a charge not unlike a star, rather oblong, of six points.
1288.
Damask, silk and cotton; ground, deep bluish green; design, pairs of monsters, half griffin, half elephant, in gold, a conventional flower in light green, enclosing a pair of wings in gold, and pairs of birds amid foliation, with short sentences of imitated Arabic here and there. Sicilian, early 14th century. 14 inches by 11 inches.
This is a fine and noteworthy production of the Palermitan loom,
and shows in its pattern much fancy and great freedom of drawing; for
whether we look at those very singular griffin elephants, sitting in pairs—and
gazing at one another, or the two birds of the hoopoe family,
with a long feather on the head, or the two gold wings conjoined
and erect, so heraldically tricked, with that well-devised flower ending
in a honeysuckle scroll, an ornament sprinkled all about, we cannot but
be pleased with the whole arrangement. The combination of elephant
and griffin in ornamentation is almost, perhaps quite, unique. The
pretended Arabic points to a locality where once Saracenic workmen
laboured, and left behind them their traditions of excellency of handicraft.
In Dr. Bock's "Geschichte der Liturgischen Gewänder des Mittelalters,"
4 Lieferung, pl. ix. may be seen this curious stuff figured.
1289.
Part of a Maniple, silk damask; ground, fawn-coloured; design, an ovate foliation amid monster beasts and birds, all in light blue silk, excepting the heads of the birds; the feet and heads of the animals done in gold. Sicilian, late 13th century. 13-1/4 inches by 7 inches.
