Melchior, Johanes." From the names assigned to the three wise men, whose relics are enshrined in the cathedral at Cologne, being so conspicuously wrought upon this piece, we may presume that the needlework was done in that great German city. By wear, the greens of the leaves have turned brown, and the pink of the flowers become pale. Those pieces of printed linen with which the holes in two places are mended will not be without an interest for those who are curious in tracing out the origin of such manufactures. Other examples of these cradle-quilts are in this collection.
1344.
Cradle-quilt, linen, embroidered in coloured silks; design, within a broad border of scroll-work in simple lines, the emblems of the four Evangelists, one at each corner; of the Crucifixion, with the Blessed Virgin Mary on the right, and St. John to the left, only a small part of the young apostle's figure is to be found at present. German, early 16th century, 2 feet 6 inches by 2 feet 2 inches.
Though in mere outline, the whole design was well drawn, and the
emblems at the corners have great freedom about them. On the
popular use of the evangelists' emblems upon such baby's furniture,
some observations are given on another good sample, No. 4644, in this
collection. A cradle-quilt like the present one occurs at No. 4459.
1345.
Silk Damask; ground and pattern in reddish crimson; design, eight-cusped ovals,—each cusp tipped with a flower, ending in a fleur-de-lis above a crown, at top, and enclosing a conventional artichoke purfled with flowers. Spanish, 15th century. 14 inches by 13 inches.
From its present shape, this piece was evidently last in use as the
hood to a liturgical cope.
