Dalmatic of blue silk damasked with gold; the pattern consists of alternate rows of oxen, and pelican-like birds amid flowers and foliage. North Italian, late 14th century. 7 feet 7½ inches by 4 feet.
A rather showy piece, and very effective in its pattern, though the gold about the thread with which the design is brought out is sparingly employed, so that it looks more yellow than metallic. The sleeves now but eleven inches long, are slit quite up, and were very likely shortened when the slitting was inflicted on them, and that, within the last hundred years, in compliance with the somewhat modern practice that took its rise in France.
8388.
Piece of Embroidery of our Lord upon His mother’s lap. Florentine, 15th century. 8¼ inches by 5½ inches.
The Blessed Virgin Mary is robed in the usual crimson tunic, and sky-blue flowing mantle, and bearing, as is customary in the Italian schools of art, a golden star figured on her left shoulder. Sitting upon a tasseled cushion, and holding a little bird in His left hand, we have our Lord quite naked, with His crossed nimb about His head. Those who bring to mind that lovely picture of Raphael’s, the so-called “Madonna del Cardellino,” or our Lady of the gold-finch, will see that such an idea was an old one when that prince of painters lived. This piece of needlework was originally wrought for the purpose of being applied, and shows on the back proofs that, in its last use, it had been pasted on to some vestment or altar-frontal.
8561.
Small Piece of Silk; ground, purple; pattern, boughs of green leaves twining amid rosettes, green, some with crimson, some with yellow centres. Sicilian, late 14th century. 6½ inches by 3 inches.