Cushion Cover thumbnail 1
Cushion Cover thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 58

Cushion Cover

ca. 1600 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

In the 17th century the majority of wooden chairs and stools were not upholstered, and in more prosperous homes, decorated cushions were widely used both for comfort and for the attractiveness of their appearance. Long cushion covers like this were specifically made to fit wooden benches.

It is possible that this cushion was worked in a household rather than a professional workshop. More than one woman or girl might have been involved in making the separate motifs, which were then applied to the silk ground. These individual motifs were known as slips, like the plant cuttings taken by gardeners. Such household furnishings often depicted scenes from rural life, and as well as the noblemen shown here hunting with hawks, we can also see gardeners at their work, gathering fruit and training vines in an orchard of apples, cherries and quinces.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk satin with applied canvaswork motifs
Brief description
Long cushion cover, white satin with applied canvaswork motifs, English, about 1600.
Physical description
Long cushion cover showing pear, cherry and apple trees; huntsmen and gardeners; slips and insects; birds and animals. Silk satin with applique of linen canvas embroidered with silk and metal thread in tent stitch, laid and couched work.

Backed with patterned satin.
Dimensions
  • Not checked against object length: 104cm
  • Not checked against object width: 41cm
Production typeUnique
Gallery label
British Galleries label text: CUSHION About 1600 Rural life was a typical subject for embroideries and tapestries. The embroidery here shows a nobleman hunting with hawks, while gardeners gather fruit and train vines in an orchard. Embroidered cushions made hard seats more comfortable before the development of fixed upholstery in the 17th century. Silk satin with applied canvaswork Embroidered in England Museum no. T.79-1946
Object history
Purchased for £150 from W. Morland, of Court Lodge, Lamberhurst, Kent
Subjects depicted
Summary
In the 17th century the majority of wooden chairs and stools were not upholstered, and in more prosperous homes, decorated cushions were widely used both for comfort and for the attractiveness of their appearance. Long cushion covers like this were specifically made to fit wooden benches.

It is possible that this cushion was worked in a household rather than a professional workshop. More than one woman or girl might have been involved in making the separate motifs, which were then applied to the silk ground. These individual motifs were known as slips, like the plant cuttings taken by gardeners. Such household furnishings often depicted scenes from rural life, and as well as the noblemen shown here hunting with hawks, we can also see gardeners at their work, gathering fruit and training vines in an orchard of apples, cherries and quinces.
Bibliographic reference
Some Elizabethan Embroideries, by Gerard Brett, in Burlington MAgazine, vols LXXXVIII to LXXXIX 1946/7, pp.190-3
Collection
Accession number
T.79-1946

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Record createdMay 27, 2009
Record URL
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