Orphrey Fragment
1340-60 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This fragment of an orphrey depicts (from
bottom to top) the apostles St Thomas, with
a lance and book; St James the Great, with a
pilgrim’s staff and wallet; and St Andrew, with
a cross. They stand beneath ogee arches that
sprout delicate foliage, and the architecture is
topped with birds in the spandrels, each one
with different plumage. At the top is the lower
part of an unidentified figure, and a related fragment
shows the partial figure of St Paul. The
complete orphrey would probably have presented
a cycle of the apostles. The figures were
worked very finely, but the silk stitches are now
extensively worn, which allows much of the
underdrawing of the design to be seen. The gold
background in the spandrels has a simple lozenge-
diaper pattern, but with a variety of more
ornate leaves and flowers beneath the arches.
The orphrey probably came originally from
a cope, and was re-used multiple times in its
subsequent life; the reverse side has a number
of traces of linings, braids and patches.
bottom to top) the apostles St Thomas, with
a lance and book; St James the Great, with a
pilgrim’s staff and wallet; and St Andrew, with
a cross. They stand beneath ogee arches that
sprout delicate foliage, and the architecture is
topped with birds in the spandrels, each one
with different plumage. At the top is the lower
part of an unidentified figure, and a related fragment
shows the partial figure of St Paul. The
complete orphrey would probably have presented
a cycle of the apostles. The figures were
worked very finely, but the silk stitches are now
extensively worn, which allows much of the
underdrawing of the design to be seen. The gold
background in the spandrels has a simple lozenge-
diaper pattern, but with a variety of more
ornate leaves and flowers beneath the arches.
The orphrey probably came originally from
a cope, and was re-used multiple times in its
subsequent life; the reverse side has a number
of traces of linings, braids and patches.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Embroidered in metal thread and silks on linen |
| Brief description | Two orphrey fragments, English, 1335-1360, embroidery on linen |
| Physical description | Parts of a cope-orphrey. They depict the apostles, St Thomas with a lance, St James the Great with a pilgrim's staff and wallet, St Andrew with a cross (on 827) and St Paul with a sword (on 827a), beneath multifoil ogee arches, with birds in the spandrels. In the spandrels the gold background is worked with a lozenge diaper, and beneath the arches with powderings of leaves and flowers. Embroidered in silver and silver-gilt thread and coloured silks in underside couching, split stitch, laid and couched work and raised work on linen. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Object history | Purchased (lot 211) at the sale of the collection of Monsieur M Benoit Hochon, held at the Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 11 and 12 June 1903, together with nos. 821 to 830-1903, for which £408 6s 11d was paid in total. |
| Summary | This fragment of an orphrey depicts (from bottom to top) the apostles St Thomas, with a lance and book; St James the Great, with a pilgrim’s staff and wallet; and St Andrew, with a cross. They stand beneath ogee arches that sprout delicate foliage, and the architecture is topped with birds in the spandrels, each one with different plumage. At the top is the lower part of an unidentified figure, and a related fragment shows the partial figure of St Paul. The complete orphrey would probably have presented a cycle of the apostles. The figures were worked very finely, but the silk stitches are now extensively worn, which allows much of the underdrawing of the design to be seen. The gold background in the spandrels has a simple lozenge- diaper pattern, but with a variety of more ornate leaves and flowers beneath the arches. The orphrey probably came originally from a cope, and was re-used multiple times in its subsequent life; the reverse side has a number of traces of linings, braids and patches. |
| Bibliographic references |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 827&a-1903 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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