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Valance
unknown - Enlarge image
Valance
- Place of origin:
England, Great Britain (possibly, made)
France (possibly, made) - Date:
1570-1599 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
unknown (production)
- Materials and Techniques:
Embroidered in silks and wools on linen
- Credit Line:
Bequeathed by Miss Maud Lilian Ochs
- Museum number:
T.136-1991
- Gallery location:
In store
Valances were the borders or bands that ran around the two sides and end of an Elizabethan bed, hiding the bed rail or the place from which the bed curtains were suspended. They formed a frieze that was particularly suitable for embroidery with figure subjects, often featuring a narrative to provide interest and entertainment. Sets of bed hangings also created a draught-free and private sleeping compartment.
The style and workmanship of this valance suggests that it was made in a professional workshop either in France itself or under strong French influence.
The setting is an ornamental garden with a mountainous skyline, a popular type of background for such scenes. and most of the figures wear rich contemporary court fashions. The main subject is a pair of seated lovers. They are attended by two women, one holding a mirror and possibly intended to represent Prudence, the other holding a small dog, possibly intended to represent Fidelity. One woman reads a partially legible French inscription, and a small black boy holds up a music score for the musicians on the right of the scene.
