Not currently on display at the V&A

Altar Cover

ca. 1540 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Altar cloth of embroidered linen with whitework. Embroidered with stem and short stitches with white thread. With a pattern consisting of a centre roundel with the Agnes Dei. Four roundels, one at each corner, has the symbolic animals of the four Evangelists. Springing from the roundels and intertwining in a symmetrical manner are thin scrolling stems with flower blossoms, vine leaves, tendrils and other plant devices. Amongst these scrolls appear dogs, harts, rampant unicorns, a bird, a stag and hound. Two sides are edged with twisted and plaited thread border.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Embroidered linen
Brief description
Altar cloth of embroidered linen, Germany, ca. 1540
Physical description
Altar cloth of embroidered linen with whitework. Embroidered with stem and short stitches with white thread. With a pattern consisting of a centre roundel with the Agnes Dei. Four roundels, one at each corner, has the symbolic animals of the four Evangelists. Springing from the roundels and intertwining in a symmetrical manner are thin scrolling stems with flower blossoms, vine leaves, tendrils and other plant devices. Amongst these scrolls appear dogs, harts, rampant unicorns, a bird, a stag and hound. Two sides are edged with twisted and plaited thread border.
Dimensions
  • Length: 75in
  • Width: 68in
Collection
Accession number
4457-1858

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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