Seven Centuries of Lace

by Maria Margaret Pollen

This laz or lace was doubtless lacis. This lacis or network, now called modano in Italy, was the earliest foundation for the work of needle-made lace "trine ad ago." We find in the Appendix to Dugdale's History of St. Paul's mention of work of "albo filo nodato" knotted white thread. This was noted at a Visitation made in 1295.[D] But pieces of this opus sfilatorium have also been found in Egyptian tombs. Early specimens often have the gammadion or symbol of the cross. See Plate [4].

A roll of the possessions of the Templars after their suppression in 1312 includes an inventory of the goods of Temple Church. One item of this is "one net which is called Espinum to cover Lectern, 2s."[E] We must look to the specimens existing from early times in Europe, and to contemporary testimony, whether of painting or sculpture, to enable us to fix the date of these interesting productions of human industry—the early lacis and linen laces. Embroidery on silk, in which many of the lace stitches were used, has a very early record.

Here we need only cite the many magnificent examples of embroidered Church vestments, chasubles, copes, &c., so freely produced from the thirteenth century onwards, of which the wonderful Dalmatic of the ninth century in the Vatican Treasury, the Syon Cope of the thirteenth century in the Victoria and Albert Museum, together with others, are to this date in excellent and almost perfect condition.

Now, if we remember that albs and other linen vestments used at Mass have been for centuries as necessary and important as the outer ones of silk, it must be allowed that while such a wealth of decoration was lavished on the latter, adornment of the former was not likely to have been omitted. I am, therefore, of opinion that much of the lacis, tela tirata, and reticello work generally ascribed to the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, may more correctly be considered to be earlier in date. That few of such ancient specimens remain is no doubt due to the linen thread being less durable than the silk and also to that arch enemy of lace in all ages, the washerwoman. As silk and gold embroidery could not be washed, it survived. All who have to care for Church vestments at the present time know that albs and other linen objects for Church use are comparatively short-lived, and it must be remembered that lace in early times was chiefly made for Church purposes.

After consulting illuminated manuscripts of the eighth and ninth centuries, I have come to the conclusion that there is in them strong evidence of lacework having been employed to ornament the albs worn even at those periods. St. Mark, in a Gospel (now in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris) said to have been written for Charlemagne, wears an alb which appears to me to be of this kind. Also in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, is a twelfth-century Bible, called the Bible of St. Martial, in which the Bishop is pictured wearing a highly ornamental alb under his gothic-shaped chasuble. He grasps his pastoral staff in one hand, and with the other he receives the precious Book.[F]

On the question of design, as indicating the date of lacework, I am of opinion that the early geometric character of primitive design was sooner modified than is generally thought to be the case.

We find, for instance, in an eighth-century "Gospel" in the Bibliothèque Nationale of Paris, a scroll ornament painted with vine leaves, grapes, &c.

Why should not this have inspired a laceworker of the same period to attempt a similar design? At a little later date a "Sacramentaire" has most realistic flowers and leaves ornamenting the initials in the Manuscript. These beautiful works of art were executed by religious persons and monks, probably of the Benedictine Order. A great part of the lace made at the same time was undoubtedly the work of nuns. What more likely than that mutual assistance was given to carry out the principal aim of both—the ornamentation and glory of the Sacred Scriptures, and the services of the Church?

Many of the earlier albs are decorated with passemens or apparels, which are squares or oblongs of ornamental work often enriched with gold thread. These were sewn on the lower part of the front of the alb and on the cuff of the sleeve. The alb preserved at the Cathedral of Sens, and said to have been worn by St. Thomas of Canterbury, is ornamented in this way. In some of the old books of patterns for lace, the straight-edged laces are all called passemens, and only the pointed ones dentelles, or pizzi.