8314.
Piece of Velvet; ground of crimson, bordered with green, brown, white, and purple, and striped with bands of gold thread, probably for secular use. Spanish, beginning of the 16th century. 13-1/2 inches by 5 inches.
The pile of this velvet is good, but so bad was the gold, that it has
turned black.
8315.
Two Pieces of Embroidery, in silk and gold thread upon white linen; the one shows our Saviour bearing His cross; the other, an inscription with the date 1442. These pieces have been mounted on a piece of crimson damask of a much later date. The embroideries, German, middle of 15th century; the crimson silk, Lyons, late 17th century. 6 inches square.
To all appearance, this figure of our Lord carrying His cross to
Calvary, as well as the inscription above it, formed part of the orphrey
of a chasuble, and to preserve it, was mounted upon the crimson silk
which is stiffened by a thin board; and from the black loop at top it
seems it was hung as a devotional picture upon the wall, most likely, of
a private oratory or bedroom. As a work of art, the figure of our
Lord is beautiful. The head, hands, and feet, as well as the crossed
nimbus in gold, the cross, and the ground strewed with flowers, are
worked with the needle; while the folds of the white linen garment are
all, with but a very few strokes, marked by brown lines put in with the
brush. The inscription, quite a separate piece, done in gold upon thin
brown silk lined with canvas, reads thus:—Wyderoyd Pastor S.
Jac(obi) Colon(iensis). 1442.
In its original state it must have been, as now, "applied," and not wrought upon the vestment itself, and affords a good hint to those who are striving to bring back the use of such a mode of embroidery in cut work.
