The Cappa Leonis: Needlelace from the 14th century?

In today’s blog, we will examine the so-called Cappa leonis held in the Cathedral Treasury of Aachen, Germany. A perfect example of more is more. It was likely used as the coronation mantle for Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, crowned in AD 1349 in Aachen and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, crowned in AD 1520 in Aachen. However, its name derives from the wrong assumption that it was the cope worn by Pope Leo III in AD 805 when he consecrated St Mary’s in Aachen. The mantle shows three different types of embroidery that were added over the active lifetime of this extraordinary piece of imperial garb. Let’s explore!

As you can see in the picture above, the Cappa leonis is too large to capture in a single picture. It measures 291 x 137.4 cm. The mantle is made of this very rare red velvet with woven golden squares – a technical dead end in the development of patterned velvets. The mantle is embellished with three very different types of embroidery. Two date to the coronation of AD 1349 and one dates to the coronation of AD 1520. Let’s have a closer look.

The first type of embroidery on the Cappa leonis is these white six-petalled flowers with a yellow heart. They are appliqued in the middle of each velvet square. The flowers consist of knotted stitches on linen. Unfortunately, the literature does not specify the thread type, but it is likely silk. It is thought that this embellishment is original and would have been present on the mantle worn for the AD 1349 coronation. Was this knotted stitch chosen in lieu of real freshwater pearls?

The second type of embroidery on the Cappa leonis can be found at the bottom edge. It is classical goldwork embroidery from the 14th century. The embroidery depicts the Old Testament patriarchs holding flowing ribbons that would once have had some, undoubtedly boasting, text on them. The ribbon flows over two stars and a vase with flowers. The embroidery consists of silken split stitch and couched metal threads on linen. The golden background was stitched with yellow silk. The chosen pattern is a simple double chevron. The embroidery might have been made in a workshop in Cologne, a well-known medieval embroidery centre close to Aachen.

The silver bells on top of this embroidered band were probably added later. Why would you want to cover up such lovely embroidery? Unless that embroidery was already a bit worn and its iconography no longer easily understood.

However, the most unusual and stunning type of embroidery can be found on the orphrey of the Cappa leonis. The museum’s website identifies it as crochet. Not likely, as this technique arrived only quite recently in Europe. The current curator, Monica Paredis-Vroon, identifies the technique as needle lace with buttonhole stitch. Other stitches identified by her are satin stitch, straight stitch and a braid stitch (not specified which one). The embroidered strip is about 11 cm wide and 280.5 cm long. It is likely that this embroidery was made in Brussels for the AD 1520 coronation.

So, what is being depicted? On a green layer of embroidered foliage sit these quatrefoils filled with coats of arms and metal flowers. The outline of the quatrefoil is formed by a metal gimp. Linking the quatrefoils are parrots made using a padded needle-lace technique. The embroidery is extremely layered and diverse. Unfortunately, as far as I know, nobody has ever tried to properly identify all the stitches and stitch a replica.

During our Stitch & Chat on Monday evening, Mickey came up with a comparable piece. The cover of MS. 8932, dating to the first part of the 15th century, shows comparable embroidery. It was studied and reproduced by Jacqui Carey, the well-known specialist on Elizabethan stitches. And Melinda immediately began identifying intricate little knots made with fine silk gimp. Both Mickey and Melinda are well acquainted with Elizabethan embroidery and experts in their own right, but did not know about the orphrey of the Cappa leonis. I wonder if Jacqui Carey knows about this piece? I’ll send her an email!

Literature
Minkenberg, G., Ben Kayed, S. (Eds.), 2014. Verlorene Schätze: Ehemalige Schatzstücke aus dem Aachener Domschatz. Schnell & Steiner, Regensburg.
Wilckens, L. von, 1991. Die textilen Künste: Von der Spätantike bis um 1500. C.H. Beck, München.