Two 16th century orphrey bands

Spanish or Italian, circa 1560

Worked in couched and brick stitched gold and silver threads and couched and satin stitched coloured silks with areas of or nué, on linen applied to a ground of burgundy silk velvet. Each band with roundels supported by curved and bound acanthus and shields and crenellated crowns bearing fruit. The roundels on the longer band, which would have decorated the back of the chasuble, with the Virgin and Child, she holding a pomegranate; St Julian the Hospitaller with his attributes of sword and stag; and St Peter with key and gospel. The shorter band, taken from the chasuble front, with St Thomas holding set square and gospel; and St Paul with sword and epistles. Each band now edged with velvet and a short fringe of silk and gold thread. Comparable orphreys can be seen in the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 16.32.322, and the V & A, accession number 343-1898.

133.5cm (52½”) high and 55cm (21⅝”) wide, and 112.5cm (44¼”) high and 55cm (21⅝”) wide.