A panel of opus anglicanum

England, circa 1475-1500

A seraph standing on a wheel with a pomegranate to either side, the motifs embroidered in coloured silk and silver gilt threads in laid and couched work and split stitch on linen, applied to a ground of blue silk velvet with further decoration in couched silk cord.

The V & A has a fragment of a cope with comparable embroidery on a blue velvet ground (accession number 617-1898), while the angel here is particularly close to those on a complete cope in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago (Grace R. Smith Textile Endowment, 1971.312a).

The textile, bordered with gold braid, 34.5cm (13⅝”) high and 50.6cm (19⅞”) wide.

The frame 40.5cm (15⅞”) high and 56.6cm (22¼”) wide.