Two linen orphreys, embroidered in coloured silks and silver gilt threads, with eight scenes illustrating the martyrdom of the Apostles, a scene depicting the Crucifixion, and three horizontal panels depicting the heads of the Evangelists, the backgrounds worked with couched cord in scrolling vine patterns and overworked in parts with silver gilt thread--50in x 7in each, framed and glazed, English, first half of 15th century, porbably from a cope

PROPERTY OF AN ECCLESIASTICAL INSTITUTION

Details

Two linen orphreys, embroidered in coloured silks and silver gilt threads, with eight scenes illustrating the martyrdom of the Apostles, a scene depicting the Crucifixion, and three horizontal panels depicting the heads of the Evangelists, the backgrounds worked with couched cord in scrolling vine patterns and overworked in parts with silver gilt thread--50in x 7in each, framed and glazed, English, first half of 15th century, porbably from a cope
See colour illustration

Provenance

This was purchased by Sir Charles Lock Eastlake PRA, director of the National Gallery, in France during the 19th century. His wife, Lady Eastlake, left it to her companion, Miss E Griffths of St John's Wood, who left it to the vendor.

Further details

VARIOUS PROPERTIES

Lot Essay

The scenes depict the following saints:
The crucifixion of St Peter
The crucifixion of St Andrew
The beating of St James the Less
The murder of St Thomas at prayer
The decapition of St James the Greater
The crucifixion of St Philip.
The burning of St Lawrence
The stoning of St Stephen
An orphrey from an English cope dated to the second quarter of the 14th century depicts scenes with similar iconography (see A G I Christie, English Medieval Embroidery, 1938, plate CXLV).

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