Medieval Goldwork Embroidery Blog by the Acupictrix

Mass-produced medieval goldwork embroidery: The Adoration of the Magi

If you have followed this blog for a while, you already know that medieval goldwork embroidery was mass-produced. The designs were used more than once, sometimes even on the same vestment. Survived have mainly the simpler single-figure orphreys or the, possibly block-printed, naive embroidered scenes from Germany. But that’s not all. Even very complex scenes were used multiple times, as is the case for a particular version of the Adoration of the Magi. The design Read more

By Dr Jessica Grimm, ago
Goldwork orphrey on a red vestment.

Late medieval vestments in the St Nicolai Church in Kalkar, part II

Last week, I wrote about the embroidered late medieval vestments on display in the St Nicolai Church in Kalkar. We looked in depth at the richly embroidered chasuble donated by Wolter van Riswick in AD 1530. This week, we’ll examine a splendidly embroidered cope and dalmatic, also kept in the church in Kalkar. These vestments were also made in the Northern Netherlands around AD 1530. The embroidery on the cope is a splendid affair. The Read more

By Dr Jessica Grimm, ago
Finished geometric embroidery sample (5 x 5 cm)

Tutorial: Underside Couching versus Brick Stitch

Last week, I discussed some Opus anglicanum pieces that show underside couched silk worked in a brick pattern. I wondered what the benefits were of using underside couching instead of traditional brick stitch. As I had done underside couching with a metal thread before, I imagined that underside couching with silk would be equally slow and cumbersome. I was very wrong. Underside couching with silk is a lovely technique! I hope you will give it a try, Read more

By Dr Jessica Grimm, ago
Coronation of the Virgin on the Syon cope (83-1864) in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.

The Syon Cope: underside couched silk in Opus anglicanum

While researching the grave finds of some of these bishops and kings, I also came across other small embroidered pieces that piqued my curiosity. When we think of Opus anglicanum, we think of underside couched gold threads. However, the embroiderers also underside couched silk. The most famous example is the Syon cope. The background consists entirely of underside couched green and red silk. I always thought that the Syon cope was somewhat of an oddity. And it Read more

By Dr Jessica Grimm, ago
Fragment of the stockings found in the grave of Bishop Walter de Cantilupe of Worcester (AD 1195-1266), Inv. Nr. 1380-1901, © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The Bishop’s Stockings (buskins/caligae) part II

Last week, we looked at three pairs of stockings from two kings and a bishop. The oldest pair dated to the 11th century, and the other two were from the late 12th century. This week, we will look at the grave finds of three bishops who lived in the 13th century. First up are the textile remains of Bishop Beringer von Entringen (died AD 1232). He was bishop of Speyer from AD 1224 until his death. The stockings are Read more

By Dr Jessica Grimm, ago

The Bishop’s Stockings (buskins/caligae) part I

When I was updating my database on medieval goldwork embroidery, I came across beautifully embroidered ceremonial stockings. The use of these stockings ended after the Second Vatican Council in 1962.  Bishops, but also some male nobility, were laid to rest in them. They are often the best-preserved part of the funeral clothing due to the way the body decomposes. I came under the impression that these stockings (also called buskins or caligae) are somewhat uniform Read more

By Dr Jessica Grimm, ago

Medieval embroiderers mentioned in historical sources

Over the years, I have come across the names of hundreds of medieval embroiderers. A couple of names can often be found in papers on medieval embroidered textiles. Sometimes, a whole list is provided, for instance, of those people who worked on embroidered textiles for Duke Philip the Good in AD 1425. Or we have a nice paper on a particular embroiderer and his conduct. Analysing the development of the embroidery trade through surviving guild regulations is also a good Read more

By Dr Jessica Grimm, ago
Tutorial: Beaded needle minders with historical sampler motifs

Tutorial: Sampler Motif Needle Minder with a beaded edge

This week’s tutorial: beaded needle minders with historical motifs. I have always been fascinated by historical samplers! When I lived near Rotterdam many years ago, I became a textile volunteer at a local museum in Maasland. They had a stunning collection of beautiful historical samplers. I had permission to reproduce them when life took me in a different direction. Since then, I have been captivated by the beauty of these old samplers and often wondered how I Read more

By Dr Jessica Grimm, ago
Gold Gimp - Chasuble cross Te 154, Kulturhistorisches Museum Magdeburg.

How to make gold gimp?

German medieval embroideries are often characterised by a composite thread not seen elsewhere: gold gimp. This is a relatively thick piece of string wrapped with a thin thread of membrane gold (gilt animal gut wrapped around a linen core). Was this a ready-made thread? Did the embroiderers make the thread themselves? Is it either pre-made or made during the actual embroidery? Let’s see if we can find the answers! Here you see a detail of the Nativity Read more

By Dr Jessica Grimm, ago