15th Century: linen and silk with brakteats, likely a stole end?

14th Century: border with brakteats

15th Century: altar border with seed beads and brakteats

Lüneburg * Art collection in the Lüne Monastery near Lüneburg * Lüneburg, 15. Jh. ?: Border * Silk, glass beads, linen and metal

 

14th Century?: border with bratkeats

Need to find info.

15th Century: mitre

15th Century: mitre

 

14th Century: Borders with brakteats and plaques

Date:1401/1500?
Type:Textile ArtMaterial
Technique:green velvet; Linen; Pearl; Gold sheet; Silver plate; Edelstein; embroidered; applied
Dimensions:22.5 x 204 cm
Collection:Wienhausen, Kloster Wienhausen
Description:The crest border (14th century), which was once sewn on the upper edge

Link to this page:https://www.bildindex.de/document/obj20017930

Bildarchiv Foto Marburg

Translated from photo D1:

Wienhausen * Kloster Wienhausen * Jewelry border *

15. Century?? * Velvet (green); Linen: Pearl: Gold sheet:

Silver plate: gemstone * embroidered; applied * 22.5 x 204 cm * The coat of arms border (14. Century)) * Neckline

Neg. No. LAC 7.091/5 * color * Picture taken 1942/1944

Translated from photo D18:

IFDN 11 168 (13×18)

Wienhausen, former Cistercian monastery, Aurifrisia, above pearl embroidery on linen background with gold and silver sheet metal, 15. Century. (?) , below green velvet with pearl embroidery and decorative sheets, 15. Century. (?) .(Recording 1939)

15th Century: mitre

15th Century: mitre

14th Century: Christ child cloak

14th Century: Christ child cloak

14th Century: Christ child cloak

 

14th Century: brakteats

 

14th Century: Christ child cloak

14th Century: Crist child cloak

12th Century: brakteat

German States, Sacrum Imperium Romanum (HRR Holy Roman Empire)
Reign: probably Henry the Long (1173 – 1227)
Mint: Braunschweig-Lüneburg, Duchy
Date: ca. 1195/1227 AD
Nominal: Bracteate (Brakteat)
Material: Silver Sheet metal
Diameter: 20mm
Weight: 0.49g
Reference: Bonhoff 102
Reference: Berger 494
Reference: Reitz 16 a
Description: Lion standing right, head facing; pellet to right
Comment: Henry (V) the Elder (the Long) of Brunswick (born around 1173/74; died 28 April 1227 in Brunswick) from the Guelph family was Count Palatine of the Rhine from 1195 to 1212. The eldest son of Duke Henry the Lion and Matilda of England, he had been married since January or February 1194 to Agnes of Staufen, the heiress daughter of Count Palatine of the Rhine, Conrad of Staufen. This marriage produced three children, Henry the Younger, Irmengard of the Rhine and Agnes. In his second marriage he was married to Agnes of Landsberg, daughter of Margrave Konrad II of Lower Lusatia (died 1266), from 1211. This marriage remained childless. Since his only son had died childless in 1214 at the age of 17, Henry the Elder designated his nephew Otto the Child, the son of William of Lüneburg, as heir to his estates in 1223. Henry the Elder was buried in Brunswick Cathedral. It is highly probable that Henry donated the St. Gallus relic to the castle chapel of St. Galli at Lauenrode Castle outside Hanover, thereby expressing his secular patronage and feudal lordship over Conrad II. expressed

 

14th Century: Marienmantelchen

14th Century: silk brakteats hanging

 

15th Century: Sarnan Child with Bezants/Brakteats

13th Century: Ciborium/Ziborium (Host Box)

Beaded container for the Holy Host

Second half of the 13th Century, Schnutgen Museum, Köln (Cologne) Germany


In german: Ziborium mit perlstickerei, Niedersachen, 2, Halfte 13 JH

Translated: Wooden core, embroidery with glass beads, freshwater pearls, and metal bead appliqué on parchment. H. 29.5 cm, Dia. 10 cm (Inv. N 42)This precious and extremely rare vessel of extraordinary artistic quality was created to store the consecrated host for the Eucharist.

Read More

Cat. Kunsthistorische Ausstellung 1876, 58, no. 364 (A. Schnütgen) – Kleinschmidt 1903,332 – Witte 19116 – von Bock 1963, 287-288- Cat. Schatzkammer 1991, 143-144, no. 42 (L. von Wilckens) – von Euw 1993b, 40-41 – Sporbeck 1996, 18-19 – Depierraz 2012, 10-11 – Roth 2018, 45-46, 61.

From: Museum Schnütgen in Cologne: A Survey of the Collection (2017) Edited by Moritz Woelk and Manuela Beer

Some Color Pictures from “Stadt im Wandel: Kunst und Kultur des Bürgetums in Norddeutchland 1150-1650”

Some pictures from: https://www.bildindex.de/document/obj05071467?medium=rba_c005536
Some photos are copyright courtesy the most gracious Racaire at www.racaire.com

14th Century: Cheb Antependium

 


Antipendium (altar hanging) of Cathderal/Chapel of Cheb*
Approx. 1300 AD.

Okay, I freely admit I’m extremely interested in this piece since it seems to have stayed in the very cathedral/town where it was made, and lived, and is still in such great shape. I have some research on Cheb and these locations mentioned in the plate descriptions, see it after the pictures below.

Four pictures from Jessica Grimm who has this blog entry, that you must really go to as she has done a great write up on it.

*also known as Eger (see note after plate description) Dimensions: 88cm x 228cm. Museum der stadt Cheb, Czechoslovakia.
SOURCE: “La Riqueza del Bordado Eclesiastico en Checoslovaquia”, by Zoroslava Drobna, 1949

Plate info in spanish:
Antipendium bordado con abalorios multicolores (perlitas de cristal) y con coralitos rosáceos. En dos filas, una encima de la otra, que constan de diez arcadas semicirculares, tiene colocadas las figuras de la Vírgen María, de Cristo, de santos y de santas. En su parte superior consta de una tira o franja, en la cual se hallan sobrepuestas o aplicadas cabezas, pintadas y más recientes, de santos y una tira con una inscripción mulitada por restauraciones posteriores. las figuras y las arcadas han sido borodadas sobre pergamino, borado que años más tarde ha aplicado o cosido sobre una tela de seda roja. Probablemente ha sido confeccionado por las monjas del convento de Santa Clara de Cheb para la cahilla del castillo de Cheb. Proximiades del año 1300 Dimensiones 88cmx228cm Museo Municipal de Cheb.

Plate info in English – to the best of my talents and using an online translator:
Altar hanging embroidered with multicolored glass beads (glass pearls?) and with rosaceous coralitos. In two rows, one upon the other of ten semicircular arches around the figures of the Virgin Maria, Christ, saints. In the top part it consists of a border which has overlapping or applied heads, painted and more recent, of saints and a strip with an inscription mutilated by later restorations. The figures and the arches have been embroidered on parchment, embroidered over years and applied or sewn on red silk fabric. Probably was made by the nuns of the convent of Saint Klara of Cheb for chapel of the castle of Cheb. Approx. 1300 AD. Dimensions 88cm x 228cm. City Museum of Cheb, (Czechoslovakia.)

 

RESEARCH ON THIS PIECE’S ORIGINS

Notes About Cheb, Czech Republic: during the Middle Ages, and even into fairly modern times, Cheb (which is directly on the modern German/Czech border) has changed hands to and from Germany many times. Map of modern Czech Bohemian Province: Cheb can be seen almost extreme right, junst under the little finger section that shoots into Germany, right along the border. Youc an see how this could have changed hands many times. (another map has Cheb clearly marked extreme west point of Czech.)As a result, Germany calls it Eger and Czechoslovakia calls is Cheb.

You will see this listed more often as being from “Eger (Cheb)” more than “Cheb” alone. To make this even more confusing – There is also a Eger, Hungary It’s made my researching this piece a bit difficult, added to that all, Czechoslovakia was called “Bohemia” in period. Here is a period map of Cheb when it was Eger, Germany – the chapel of St. Klara is clearly marked in the high res pic entitled “De germania, Egrana ciuitas, olimde imperio Romanorum hodie uero regno Bohemiae subiecta”That last link calls Cheb “Located on Ohre river near the German border; town fell to Bohemian king Otakar I in 13th cen.; was often damaged by war, including in Hussite wars (1419-1436), Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) & War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748). ”

The Czech.cz history page, mentions German Colonization inthe 13th Century. Now, Locating the piece’s orgin in Cheb (Then named “Eger”):The plate description above says this was: “Probably was made by the nuns of the convent of Saint Klara of Cheb for chapel of the castle of Cheb.” Let’s break this down.

You can see some of these Cheb locations, as they stand now that are mentioned above, at Cheb’s Wepage and the above map link which I think shows them in period as well. So does this page.

The convent was founded as a Franciscan church, and functioned as such for a couple hundred years, but converted to a Minorite (“Minores”) order in the 1500’s – which is whwen this map was made. (go about half way across) *right* next to the what we conclude to be the very Convent of St Klara (“S:Klara”) Cheb’s page even notes the order change: “Franciscan church: The Minorite church was built simultaneously with a convent after 1247 when Franciscans settled in Cheb. A vestry and adjacent portion of walling has been preserved from the original building from the mid-13th Century. A cloister of the convent from the 1st half of the 14th Century is one of the most beautiful landmarks in the town’s historical center.” So we know it was there at the right time, and we know it’s still there. Now, If you look at the modern pic of the Minorite churchand the period map of Cheb when it was Eger, Germany, you can see a definite resemblance of the modern and to the towers of “S:Klara” and the adjacent”Minores” in the map, which would be the Minorite Church.

In the 15th Century a bunch of Franciscan monasteries converted sub order called Minorite, who I thinks were a little more conservative, even more than the “Poor Clare’s” who were founded by St Clare and who’s tenants included strict cloistering away from the world and devout poverty.

We know that the the Convent of St Klara was adjacendt to the “Minorite” church from the map. We’re at the very least in the right area of town, and it’s really cool to at least see in period where it came from, if it is from where they say.

John Moorman, MEDIEVAL FRANCISCAN HOUSES, St. Bonaventure (NY): The Franciscan Institute, 1983:[page 169:] FRANCISCAN FRIARY AT “EGER (Cheb): Franciscan Province of Saxony or Bohemia, Leipzig.”Before 1256 (AFH v, 362). In 1270 the town was burnt down, including the church of the friars. Four friars and ten others were burnt to death in the church (AF ii, 83). It became Observant in due course, but the date of this is uncertain. Some say 1463 (“Beiträge Sächs. 1907, 9); others give 1465 (AFH v, 362) or 1472 (FS i, 239).”[page 582] POOR CLARES at Eger “Founded c. 1270 being built next to the friars’ convent (AFH v, 362-3). Some put the date as 1264 and say that the house was affiliated to Seusslitz (S. Chiara 438). In 1465 some sisters were sent from Nuremberg to carry out reforms (AF ii, 417-8).”Abbesses: “c. 1270: Adelheit von Lobhaus (Wauer, Entstehung 141n); 1469: Felicity Trautmann (AF ii, 418, 477); 1469 Margaret Grunther (Priorissa) AFii, 418, 477)”

And who was it made for?
It says in the plate description… ” …for chapel of the castle of Cheb” (again, it was Eger)Cheb’s page shows them too. Here’s the castle and here’s the castle’s chapel interior (and A detail picture). Here’s a modern Map of Cheb , you an see the castle (#4) up in the the northern bend of the river.
#8 is the convent.
#3 is where the piece lives now, the Musem of Cheb.

The Beads: Where did they come from?

Cheb is located less than 40 Kilometers from the small bavarian town of Bischofsgrun, Germany, which is just a few miles on the other side of the modern Czech/German Border.Bischofsgrun is important in many ways. It is one of the first glassmaking capitols in that part of Europe. A “glass hut” (translation from web) was found dating from 900. “Bischofesgrune” was first mentioned in 1242. The tradition of glass-making was first mentioned in 1340 (*1). by 1536 they had 39 glass houses (*2). Duke Albrecht V requested the court cartographer to a map of Bavaria in 1554-1561. In it he included the desctiption as: “Here there are many Glassworks, (producing) blown glass, exceptional mirror glass, and glass beads.” (*3). Modernly Bischofsgrun is famed for it’s history as a medieval stained glass center, and is part of many “glass tours” for those who study glass history. I think it’s a good possibility the beads may have come from Bischofsgrun, or even perhaps there was an even closer factory. Glass makers were considered a reputable and desirable industry.

(*1).source: Bischofsgrun, Germany glass tour website
(*2) source: Bischofsgrun, Germany website
(*3) source: Sibyll Jorgstaff, Glass Beads Of EuropeNEW Text about Cheb History: Following text from this page on Cheb:

The history of Cheb, one of Bohemia’s oldest towns, dates from the 9th century. The remains of a Slavonic settlement have been found on the site of todays castle, in its strategic location above the Ohre river. The first reference to Cheb was in a document by Germany king Heinrich IV., in 1061. The town was then called Egre, derived from “Agara”, the Celtic name of the river running through it and taken into German as “Eger”. The Czech name goes back at least to 1322. During the 12th century, Cheb came under the administration of the margraves of Vohburg and German colonization followed. In 1149, Cheb came under the House of Hohenstauf. Friedrich Barbarossa, the emperor and the most significant member of the family, made Cheb a stronghold of his power politics aimed against the Principality of Bohemia. Czech rulers, however, also proved interested in the regions strategic location. Using the claim to inheritance as a pretext, Premysl Otakar II invaded the once Slavonic territory in 1266 and temporarily annexed it to Bohemia. Until 1305 the region was administered by Vaclav II, Otakars son, who gained control over it as part of the dowry of his wife Guta, a daughter of the Emperor Rudolph of Hapsburg. Although the town was repeatedly taken by the German Empire after Vaclavs death, the inhabitants of Cheb maintained good relations with Bohemia and, after the Premyslid dynasty, became growingly concerned about stability. The permanent annexation of Cheb to the Bohemian Crown Lands came in 1322. John of Luxembourg, the Czech king, acquired the region from Ludwig the Bavarian as a hereditary pledge in recognition of service in the fight for the Emperors throne.

In the 14th century, Cheb was one of the leading towns in the kingdom, being the fourth biggest in Bohemia with a population of 7300. It received many privileges: the Golden Bull made Cheb inhabitants free of duties and tolls throughout the Empire, they had a provincial parliament, a provincial high court, and the minting right (1235). An important trade route, the Via Regia, led through town. During the Hussite wars, the town sided with Catholics and was the point of departure for the 1421 and 1427 crusades. History records the diplomatic negotiations of the Basel Ecclesiastic Council and the Hussites over the conditions of the latters attendance. Chebs faith in Jiri of Podebrady, the “Hussite” king, was confirmed not only by this many visits but also by his childrens weddings taking place in the town.

During the Thirty Years War, Cheb suffered attacks by Swedish, Saxon and imperial troops. The town went down in European history on the bloodstained date of 25 February 1634, when Albrecht of Wallenstein, the Emperors high commander, died at the hands of the Irish captain Deveroux.

Because of the war and the general decline of towns, the economy became stagnant. By a 1652 decree issued by Ferdinand III, Cheb was converted into a military fortress. When completed in 1740, however, the mighty Baroque structure was outdated and challenge to French troops laying siege two years later. An imperial contract brought leading Baroque architects to Cheb: K.Dienzenhofer, P.Bayer, G.Alliprandi, A.Pfeffer and others. Thanks to them the town boasts some marvelous buildings, e.g. St Clares Church, the Dominican monastery, the town hall, etc. The towns appearance was dramatically changed by the early 19th century. The fortifications were pulled down and a large part of the original Gothic town wall together with the gates was demolished. And still another event, deprived Cheb of its medieval features: the great fire of 1809. It destroyed more than 100 houses. Chebs oldest church, St John the Baptist, included.

Industrial development brought revival, in both economy and culture. In 1938, came the Munich agreement, followed by World War II. The ultimate displacement of German residents, eventually depopulated Chebs historical center, accelerating a catastrophic decay of monuments. Only resolute refurbishment put an end to such dilapidation (1956-1969). Since 1989 Cheb has become a notable culture and bussines center. International activities, like Euroregio Egrensis, have restored the tradition, and the unique character of the region.

13th Century: Halberstadt Antependium

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Some pics below from: http://fraubevin.blogspot.com

13th Century: Halberstadt Antependium

 german12thAltar frontal of the high altar of Halberstadt Cathedral

Lower Saxony, second half of the 13th century, Halberstadt, Cathedral Museum, No. 203
Throne: about 58 cm high

(Some pictures from Bevin Butler’s blog post)

Detail. Red satin faded to old rose. Bead embroidery on parchment and linen. Coral and glass beads of cylindrical and spherical form, opaque and transparent. Predominant colors: coral red, two shades of green, dark blue shading, to light blue, turquoise, aubergine (i.e. eggplant purple), gold, black.

All the seed pearls and most of the violet glass beads and the gilded plaques are now missing. The outer edge and inner fields of the throne had metal plaques with Romanesque foliage and palmettes (their imprints remain on the material). The effect of the whole is impaired by the white patches left where the seed pearls and gold plaques have disappeared.

Pictoral History of Embroidery, M. Schuette (Library of Congress # 64-13379) [Gestickte Bildteppiche des Mittelalters (in english: Art of Medieval Tapestry), Leipzig1930.] Frederick A. Praeger, Inc, Publisher, New York 1964, 64 University Place, New York 3, New York

14th Century: Christ child cloak

Clothing for a Child Christ Statue(?)
Second half of 14th Cen.
In German: Bildbekleidung aus der Marktkirche Hannover, Mitte bis 2. Halfte 14 Jh.

15th Century: Kloster Ebstorf Panels

 

15th Century: Minden Mitre

The Annunciation worked on a mitre from Minden of c.1400
Silk, pearls, and silver-gilt motifs; the scene on the reverse is the Virgin Enthroned.

From: “Medieval Craftsmen: Embroiderers,” by Kay Staniland, University of Toronto Press, 1991, pp. 46-48. ISBN: 0-8020-6915-0

Elaborate medieval embroideries were often further enhanced by the addition of pearls and other precious and semi-precious stones, gold or silver ornaments, enameled plaques or, very occasionally at this period, glass beads or discs, whilst some are almost exclusively composed of these ornaments and might not properly be considered as embroideries. These powerful symbols of class and wealth were at least as widely seen in the church as in royal or aristocratic courts: many of these rich creations were the gift of wealthy patrons seeking influence or favors. However, it would eventually be this very enrichment which ensured the destruction of these pieces, for once the gold, jewels, and pearls were removed, the ground would quickly be recycled. So much of this work has disappeared that it can now be difficult to envisage the extravagance involved, though the imagination is aided by fifteenth-century paintings which, with their naturalistic and precise approach, frequently portray these jewel-enriched garments. Coupled with the boldly designed and colored Italian silks and velvets the effect must indeed have been sumptuous and impressive.

Pearls were very popular in the Middle Ages, especially tiny seed pearls, which were much used in place of jewels in crowns, or to form haloes, birds, masks, or other decorative motifs. English royal accounts of the fourteenth century reveal that these pearls cost between £1 and £2 per ounce. Together with a range of other, larger pearls, some colored, originating from the East or from Scotland, they were frequently employed upon festal or jousting garments at the French and English courts and often massed together to form decorative motifs. In 1345-9, for example, Edward III’s armourer John de Cologne made five hoods of white cloth for the King and his friends, each worked with blue dancing men and fastening at the front with buttons of large pearls. They required 2350 large pearls, together with velvet, silk and gold thread. These richly embroidered hoods were fashionable at the time and there are many entries listing the expensive requirements for them.

The mitre from Minden, a rare and almost complete survival from the Middle Ages, shows the technique used in an ecclesiastical context, combined with plaques and golden ornaments, whilst the single mask and few acorns of pearls still in place on the Butler-Bowden cope show something of the original richness of the embroideries.

The incorporation of gold ornaments similarly enlivened the decoration, catching the light and adding an impressive three-dimensional quality. The ornaments, as with pearls, could simply be assembled and sewn into place and did not therefore demand the services of skilled embroiderers. Rather, they involved goldsmiths to create them in specially carved moulds, drawing these craftsmen into the large embroidery workshops. Also catching the light in embroideries were “doublets” — tiny discs of glass of a type still seen in Indian embroideries — which appear to have come from Venice.

Countless similar examples are described in both the English and French royal accounts of the fourteenth century, none of which, sadly, have survived. For the Christmas and New Year festivities in 1393-4, two gloriously extravagant and light-hearted concoctions of this kind were created for Richard II: a white satin doublet embroidered in gold with orange trees on which hung one hundred silver-gilt oranges, and a “hancelyn” (believed to be a loose outer garment), also of white satin which was embroidered with leeches, water and rocks, and amongst which were placed fifteen silver-gilt mussels and fifteen silver-gilt whelks. How these must all have sparkled in the subdued lighting of the medieval royal halls. Late medieval taste was particularly attracted to light-reflecting ornaments on clothing and horse-harness where movement would produce a multitude of glinting reflections. Consequently gold and silver motifs of all shapes and sizes were incorporated into embroidery. In 1441 the Goldsmiths Company confirmed and renewed their Ordinance for Making Spangles which fixed prices. These “spangles” were the equivalent of modern sequins, mall, round, thin pieces of glittering metal with a hole in the centre to admit a thread; some were rectangular in shape and sewn at one end only, whilst ohers survive in situ on embroideries but a number have turned up in archaeological contexts, perhaps the small lost hoards of people in flight from invaders.

14th Century: Chausable Edging

Photo credit: valdovurumai.lt

 

Bona Sforza’s gift of a chasuble sewn with pieces of a 13th to 14th-century Byzantine-style crown that is sometimes associated with the Lithuanian rulers (Skarbiec Paulinów na Jasnej Górze, Częstochowa)

14th Century: Marienwerder Cope

372559191_8348dbf779_oMarienwerder Cope

Pretty sure this is the back of a priest’s cope, as they almost always have a cross on the back.

14th Century: Altar Edging

fmc511248a-full

First half of 14th Cen.
Coral, Gold and Glass beads.

In German: Furlegeraus Kloster Isenhagen Niedersachsen 2, Viertel des 14 Jh.

Pictures from “Stadt im Wandel: Kunst und Kultur des Bürgetums in Norddeutchland 1150-1650”

14th Century: Marienwerder Antependium

altarbehang05

CHRIST IN GLORY
Antependium from Closter of Marienwerder Lower Saxony
14th C. Hanover, Kestnermuseum (W.M. XXII, 5)
102 x 180 cm.
Detail: Mandorala, 38 cm high

Chinese red silk damask, 14th century; seed pearls, coral beads, semi-precious stones in metal settings, stamped parcel-gilt silver plaques, stars and rosettes. Black, turquoise coloured and gold glass beads. Applied work and bead embroidery. The figures are worked on parchment. The silver plaques on the outer border of the altar frontal (not shown here) bear the arms of the Hamersen family.

Lit.: Norddeutsche Goldschmiedearbeiten und Stickereien des Mittelaltars. Ausstellung, Museum fur Kunst und Gewerve, Hamburg 1948, No. 92 – Sonderausstellung, Kestnermuseum, Hanover 1956/57, No. 54

Source: Schuette, Marie and Sigrid Muller-Christensen: Pictorial History of Embroidery ; NY: Frederick Praeger, 1964.

Antependium aus Kloster Marienwerder
Niedersachsen, frühes 14. Jh.
chinesische Seide mit Stickereien aus Seide, Perlen, Halbedelsteine, Glasflüsse, vergoldete Silberplättchen
102 x 180 cm
Hannover, Kestner-Museum
Inv.Nr. W.M. XXII,5

Christus thront in der Mandorla, umgeben von den vier Evangelistensymbolen.

Krone und Schleier. Kunst aus mittelalterlichen Frauenklöstern (Ausst.kat. Bonn, Essen), München 2005, Kat. 55.

13th Century: Halberstadt Mitre

12th Century Halberstadt Catherdral Mitre

Info from : http://www.lda-lsa.de

A mitra with animal symbolism from the Halberstadt cathedral treasure

The bishop’s headdress from the Halberstadt cathedral treasure embroidered on the most sumptuous of pearls impressively demonstrates the magnificence of the medieval church service as well as the great craftsmanship of contemporary textile art. The Mitra is almost completely preserved except for two formerly hanging on the back, wide bands and looks amazingly fresh in the color of the jewelry elements. In addition to gilded jewelery sheets and colored stones in golden versions, the variety of small pearls made of red coral, colorful glass flows and gilded metal and combined with river pearls is particularly impressive.

For a long time it was thought that these pearls were imported. However, there is evidence that freshwater pearl mussels were more abundant in native waters before being almost completely eradicated by depletion in the 18th century. Therefore, for the Lower Saxony beadwork – to which the Mitra belongs – pearls from the provenances of the Lüneburg Heath may well have been used.

The background for the beadwork, which is embroidered on pattern-precise parchment, is a thin gold foil. The two decorative bands, called Circulus and Titulus, are particularly broad and elaborate on this Miter . Horizontally, the Mitra move around many entwined tendrils with vine leaves, into which two quadruple-shaped medallions are integrated on the front and back. In miniature they depict representations of medieval animal symbolism, which was recorded in the compendium of the Physiologus, which has been immensely popular since early Christian times: On the detail illustration of the obverse, an eagle flies out of its nest with a young bird in its capture.

In the interpretation of salvation history, the eagle Christ immediately approaches the sun, the symbol of God, to whom he feeds a human child. In the neighboring medallion, the pelican, animating and nurturing the young with his blood, is shown. On the opposite side, the Phoenix rises from its ashes with its wings spread wide , and a lion bends over its still-born, unbroken boy to bring it to life with his breath . All four motifs are allegories of the resurrection of Christ and symbolize the Christian hope of the resurrection of the dead. This central content of faith finds a visible expression in a special way in the celebration of Easter, for which occasion the precious miter was probably determined.

Text: Dorothee Honekamp-Könemann
Internet: Dorothee Menke

 

13th Century: Square Reliquary Box

Niedersachsen, second half of 13th Cen.
Domkammer, Münster, Germany

Pictures from “Stadt im Wandel: Kunst und Kultur des Bürgetums in Norddeutchland 1150-1650”

Color pictures via: http://www.domkammer-muenster.de/index.php?myELEMENT=197224

15th Century: Lamb Of God

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The Lamb of God
Southern Germany, about 1450-1470 Munich
Bayerisches Nationalmuseum (NN 1100)
Diameter: 8 cm

Red velvet with gold sequins. Relief embroidery. Linen ground with pearls.
Halo and banner in gold and silk embroidery in couched work, satin and chain stitch.
On the other side of the lid is the Veracon, in silk embroidery.

 

13th Century: Orphrey, 1220-1224


In some sources this pointed orphrey end is often paired with two bead saints heads, from the same museum since they are similar in time frame, and materials. Since they are not from the same piece I am seperating them.

V&A Accession number 8274-1863 | Item page @ V&A

All but the first picture were taken by myself, Jen Segrest.

13th Century: German Panels

On parchment with beads and seed pearls
German, 13th Century Blue glass, red coral, gold and seed pearls (most salvaged/looted) on parchment with linen thread.

The two detached pieces are in the V&A collection (below)

The other (still attached to the edging) is in a museum in Germany.

Link to V&A page Link to V&A page

The pair in the V&A appear for all intents and purposes to have been removed from the German piece and were sold in the late 40’s (war happens). I have worked up a comparison, they are as best I can deduce made by the same hand. You can find my notes on them here.

This selection of pictures is to compare contrast the  items as they they are assumed to have originated from the same piece.

While they are technically two different pieces, I have decided to  present them together as they are from the same work.


Beadwork, (Shire Album #57), by Pamela Clabur

“The american indians… here the beads are threaded and laid on the ground material. The attaching thread is quite separate and is brought up from below and catches down the thread between the two beads. this is in effect, a form of couching.” “Exactly the same method of attachment was used in the german beadwork of the 12th Century. Here it is combined with with the sewing on of single beads where the design required it, but it can be seen that are long strands of the same colours and only a very few single colors even in such detailed parts of the design as the faces. Six hundred years later the method was still being used”


Bead Embroidery By Joan Edwards.

“Long before needlewomen of the nineteenth century discovered the possibilities of beadwork, comparatively coarse beads had been used in various parts of Europe for embroidery for a very long time indeed. A great deal of work was done, for example, during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries in Lower Saxony, examples of which can be seen in Hanover and Darmstadt. The beads were usually attached to vellum, and it has been suggested that the existence of this beadwork might-like the German whitework or “opus teutonicum” of the Middle Ages-be interpreted as a sign of poverty amongst the German convents at this time, and that the beads were perhaps a substitute for work in pearls, precious metals, and the coveted Byzantine enamels. Nevertheless, the vestments and hangings must have gleamed with considerable beauty in the dark, candle lit cathedrals and churches, shining through the dimness like the stained glass in the windows, and there seems little doubt that the designs were good and well drawn.”

11th Century: Reliquary Bag with plaques and pearls


Reliquienbeutel, Trier, around 993

IN GERMAN: “Beutel für eine Kreuzreliquie, Vorderseite, Stickerei mit Perlen, vergoldeten Appliken und Spiralknoten. Trier, nm 993. Nürnberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum (KG 562)
Auch noch aus dem späten 10.Jahrhundert stammt der mit bunter Seide in Ketten-, Stiel- und versetztem Flachstich auf Leinen gestickte Alexanderflug in Würzburg, der dort lange mit der großen bemalten seidenen Kiliansfahne verbunden gewesen ist.

Der wohl von Anfang an für Hildesheim bestimmte, wahrscheinlich aber noch in Trier um 993 gearbeitete Beutel für eine Kreuzreliquie in Germanischen Nationalmuseum, Nürnburg, ist aus rotem, ungermustertem Samit. Auf seiner Vorderseite wirkt die Aufnäharbeit mit Perlenkränzen um vergoldete Appliken in Kreuz- und Herzform, teilweise mit eingelassenen Glasflüssen, rot gefärbtem Bernstein oder gefaßten Almandinen sowie mit vier Goldspiralknoten wie Goldschmiedewerk, während auf der Rückseite Goldfäden in versenkter Anlegetechnik verarbeitet sind.



IN ENGLISH
(translated via internet):

Bags for a Kreuzreliquie, front, embroidery with beads, gilded Appliken and spiral knots. Trier, Nm 993. Nuernberg, Germanic national museum (kg of 562) Also still from the late 10. century originates the Alexanderflug in peppering castle, gestickte with multicolored silk in chains -, handle and transferred flat pass on linen, which was connected for a long time with the large painted be-being those Kiliansfahne there.

Probably from the outset for Hildesheim the determined, probably however still in Trier around 993 bags worked for a Kreuzreliquie in Germanic national museum, Nuernburg, is from red, ungermustertem Samit. Its front the sewing on work with bead rings affects around gilded Appliken in cross and heart form, partly with let in glass rivers, red colored amber or calm Almandinen as well as with four gold spiral knots such as gold forging work, while on the back gold threads are finished in sunk putting on technology.

Bag for a cross relic, front, embroidery with pearls, gilded Appliken and Spiralknoten. Trier, nm 993rd Nuremberg, germanic national museum (KG 562)
Also yet out of the late 10. century the Alexanderflug embroidered with colorful silk in chains, handle and staggered flat sting on lines in Würzburg, that comes painted been is there long with the large silk Kiliansfahne connected.

That probably from the beginning for Hildesheim determined, probably however yet in Trier around 993 worked bags for a cross relic in germanic national museums, Nürnburg, is out of red, ungermustertem Samit. On its front, the Aufnäharbeit with pearl wreaths influences gilded around Appliken in Kreuz- and heart form, partial with admitted glass rivers, red colored amber or calm Almandinen as well as with four Goldspiralknoten as well as gold smith work, during the back gold threads in sunk designed technology processed are.

Thanks to Roxelana Bramante for her typing this for me.