Forehead Cloth thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Forehead Cloth

1600-1625 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A forehead cloth was part of women’s headwear in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It was usually worn with a coif and inventories from the period record matching coifs and forehead clothes being made and bought together. However, it is still unclear just how the forehead cloth was worn, as there are very few portraits illustrating both.

This forehead cloth is embroidered with coloured silks and silver-gilt thread, and probably once had a matching coif. The repeating pattern of flowers, fruits, birds and insects is typical of the naturalistic embroidery designs of the late 16th and early 17th centuries.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Linen, silk thread, silver-gilt thread; hand-embroidered
Brief description
Part of a woman's forehead cloth of linen, 1600-1625, British; embroidered with coloured silks and metal thread in a pattern of flowers, birds, insects (joined to Circ.265-1911)
Physical description
A forehead cloth of linen embroidered with coloured silks in shades of green, blue, pink, red, yellow and white in detached buttonhole stitch; and silver-gilt thread in chain, plaited braid stitches and couching. The pattern consists of silver-gilt scrolling stems bearing coloured leaves, strawberries, roses, other flowers, a bird and butterflies. The cloth is embroidered around the edge with green silk in buttonhole stitch.
Dimensions
  • T.76 1911 and CIR c.265 1911 width: 37.2cm (approx)
  • T.76 1911 and CIR c.265 1911 length: 17.6cm (approx)
Object history
A coif almost identical in design to this forehead cloth is held in a private collection in New York. They have no provenance for their piece, but they believe it to be the piece sold at Chrtisties South Kensington 23 October 1990 lot 167 ex Roger Warner collection. Personal communication to Clare Browne june/july 2006.

In June 2007 this coif was held by Witney Antiques, Oxfordshire, and shown at the Grosvenor House antiques fair in that year.
Seen by Daniel Milford-Cottam at Grosvenor House, June 2007.
Subjects depicted
Summary
A forehead cloth was part of women’s headwear in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It was usually worn with a coif and inventories from the period record matching coifs and forehead clothes being made and bought together. However, it is still unclear just how the forehead cloth was worn, as there are very few portraits illustrating both.

This forehead cloth is embroidered with coloured silks and silver-gilt thread, and probably once had a matching coif. The repeating pattern of flowers, fruits, birds and insects is typical of the naturalistic embroidery designs of the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
Collection
Accession number
T.76-1911

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJuly 11, 2006
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest