A panel of opus anglicanum

England, circa 1475-1500

A seraph standing on a wheel between water flowers and fleurs de lis, the motifs embroidered in coloured silk and silver gilt threads in laid and couched work, split stitch and brick 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, 50.2cm (19¾”) high and 52.7cm (20¾”) wide.

The frame 56.6cm (22¼”) high and 59.4cm (23⅜”) wide.