The Oxburgh Hangings
Panel
ca. 1570 (made)
ca. 1570 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
It was a popular pastime of wealthy ladies in the 16th century to make up large decorative hangings from a number of smaller panels. This enabled a group of women to work on individual panels at the same time. The hangings would be used as part of a bed set, as either curtains or covers, or be placed on the wall like a tapestry. If necessary, they could be dismantled at a later stage and the panels reused. In the case of this hanging, it seems likely that the panels were left unused until the 17th century.
People
It is very rare to be able to identify surviving embroideries as having been owned or worked by royalty. This piece and others in the same group are exceptional since they were worked by Mary, Queen of Scots and her attendants. During her long imprisonment she made numerous embroideries, some of which have her initials or cipher. This activity must have both filled her time and occupied her mind as many of the emblems or mottoes have more significance than is immediately apparent.
It was a popular pastime of wealthy ladies in the 16th century to make up large decorative hangings from a number of smaller panels. This enabled a group of women to work on individual panels at the same time. The hangings would be used as part of a bed set, as either curtains or covers, or be placed on the wall like a tapestry. If necessary, they could be dismantled at a later stage and the panels reused. In the case of this hanging, it seems likely that the panels were left unused until the 17th century.
People
It is very rare to be able to identify surviving embroideries as having been owned or worked by royalty. This piece and others in the same group are exceptional since they were worked by Mary, Queen of Scots and her attendants. During her long imprisonment she made numerous embroideries, some of which have her initials or cipher. This activity must have both filled her time and occupied her mind as many of the emblems or mottoes have more significance than is immediately apparent.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Oxburgh Hangings (popular title) |
| Materials and techniques | Embroidered linen canvas with silk, gold and silver threads |
| Brief description | Textile panel 'The Oxburgh Hangings' of embroidered linen canvas with silk, gold and silver threads, possibly made by Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth Talbot, probably made in Sheffield, ca. 1570 |
| Physical description | Textile panel of embroidered linen canvas with silk, gold and silver threads in cross stitch. With a hammerhead shark. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | A ZYDRACH (Embroidered, 'ZYGAENA' hammer headed shark from C Gesner Icones Animalium Aquatilium Zurich 1560 p 150) |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Presented by Art Fund |
| Object history | Made by Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury and members of her household. Probably made in Sheffield Castle where Mary was imprisoned. The Oxburgh Hangings. Hanging with applied panels of embroidery, formerly at Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk. Originally all the panels were applied to a green velvet background, parts of which survive on the central panel and on several of the smaller panels. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type It was a popular pastime of wealthy ladies in the 16th century to make up large decorative hangings from a number of smaller panels. This enabled a group of women to work on individual panels at the same time. The hangings would be used as part of a bed set, as either curtains or covers, or be placed on the wall like a tapestry. If necessary, they could be dismantled at a later stage and the panels reused. In the case of this hanging, it seems likely that the panels were left unused until the 17th century. People It is very rare to be able to identify surviving embroideries as having been owned or worked by royalty. This piece and others in the same group are exceptional since they were worked by Mary, Queen of Scots and her attendants. During her long imprisonment she made numerous embroideries, some of which have her initials or cipher. This activity must have both filled her time and occupied her mind as many of the emblems or mottoes have more significance than is immediately apparent. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.33II-1955 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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