Intro:
This style was popular from the 12-14th centuries throughout Europe and England. It was prized as diplomatic gifts to the clergy and often had the gift-giver’s heraldry prominently displayed.
The wealth of examples possibly represents a fraction of what was actually made. With the amount of gold and silver used in this style, many of the pieces were dismantled to reclaim the precious metal. This likely explains why there are records of embroideries commissioned for secular uses, but few surviving examples. Additionally, the English Reformation likely destroyed any pieces in England for being examples of the wealth of the Catholic Church.
This style was popular from the 12-14th centuries throughout Europe and England. It was prized as diplomatic gifts to the clergy and often had the gift-giver’s heraldry prominently displayed.
The wealth of examples possibly represents a fraction of what was actually made. With the amount of gold and silver used in this style, many of the pieces were dismantled to reclaim the precious metal. This likely explains why there are records of embroideries commissioned for secular uses, but few surviving examples. Additionally, the English Reformation likely destroyed any pieces in England for being examples of the wealth of the Catholic Church.
Extant Examples:
The surviving examples tend towards the later half of this style's popularity. With the exception of a few almônères, the examples are ecclesiastical in nature
The surviving examples tend towards the later half of this style's popularity. With the exception of a few almônères, the examples are ecclesiastical in nature
Almônère. A secular use of Anglicanum style, these pouches were given to romantic partners.
Uses:
This style is best displayed on a large, flat area. The surviving pieces are mostly ecclesiastical in nature: Opheries, Apparels, Copes, Chaucibles, Dalmatics, Altar frontals, and Burses. Secular items seem limited to almônères, of which there are a few.
Speculation that this style could have been used on secular mantels and cloaks seems reasonable.
Time/Place
Made in England, embroideries were exported to the Continent. Though less commonly to Germany where such richness was condemned in the 14th century.
Examples with similar features can be found in England as early as the 10th century. Though the fully developed style can be said to be confined to the 12th-14th centuries. At the end of the 14th century, changes were being made to the techniques being used for the sake of speed that fundamentally changed the look and feel of the style to the point of no longer being the same style.
Design Features:
Motifs - The main subjects were people, with supporting architecture, botanicals, and some animals that have religious
symbolism.
Details - Lots of shading to emphasize draping material. Four shades seems to be a standard procedure. Stitch direction and
placement gives the illusion of three-dimensionality.
Stitches - Stem stitch for outlines, split stitch for fill. Underside couching for metal parts, though surface couching was used more
towards the end of the style’s popularity.
Materials - Silk floss, for the figures. Gilt floss in silver and gold is in surviving pieces but records talk about very thin drawn wire
floss. Ground fabrics were linen at first, and later imported silks.
This style is best displayed on a large, flat area. The surviving pieces are mostly ecclesiastical in nature: Opheries, Apparels, Copes, Chaucibles, Dalmatics, Altar frontals, and Burses. Secular items seem limited to almônères, of which there are a few.
Speculation that this style could have been used on secular mantels and cloaks seems reasonable.
Time/Place
Made in England, embroideries were exported to the Continent. Though less commonly to Germany where such richness was condemned in the 14th century.
Examples with similar features can be found in England as early as the 10th century. Though the fully developed style can be said to be confined to the 12th-14th centuries. At the end of the 14th century, changes were being made to the techniques being used for the sake of speed that fundamentally changed the look and feel of the style to the point of no longer being the same style.
Design Features:
Motifs - The main subjects were people, with supporting architecture, botanicals, and some animals that have religious
symbolism.
Details - Lots of shading to emphasize draping material. Four shades seems to be a standard procedure. Stitch direction and
placement gives the illusion of three-dimensionality.
Stitches - Stem stitch for outlines, split stitch for fill. Underside couching for metal parts, though surface couching was used more
towards the end of the style’s popularity.
Materials - Silk floss, for the figures. Gilt floss in silver and gold is in surviving pieces but records talk about very thin drawn wire
floss. Ground fabrics were linen at first, and later imported silks.