Panel
Object name
Date made
Circa 1650-1675
Place made
Description
Circa 1650-1675 stumpwork (raised work) casket panel, possibly depicting Pyramus and Thisbe from the Metamorphoses by Ovid.
Content description
A circa 1650-1675 stumpwork or raised work panel from an embroidered casket or cabinet. Worked in silk and metal threads on a cream silk ground with a variety of needlelace stitches. A central female figure brandishes a club at a lion while an onlooker watches from behind a tree. The central female figure is worked over padding and is dressed in a long blue gown made of double Brussels stitches worked through shades of dark to light blue to illustrate the folds of her dress. Her scarf, which flows behind her, is also made of double Brussels stitches. Her separate collar and cuffs are made of single corded Brussels stitches. As she runs we can see her brown shoes. In her hand is a club worked in couched silk threads. Wear at the centre of the figure's face reveals a carved wooden nose, suggesting her face is entirely or partially made of wood underneath the textile.
The second figure, a man, looks out from behind a tree on the viewer's right-hand side of the picture. He wears a knee length, brown, striped tunic over tights and boots all worked in needlelace techniques. He has a chain stitch belt, a single corded Brussels tunic, and single corded Brussels white collar and cuffs. He also wears a wide brimmed, brown hat of single corded Brussels stitches sat atop his hair, which is worked in a random series of straight stitches.
The tree trunk is worked in single Brussels stitches in shades of brown, fixed over fleece for padding. The fleece can be seen through two holes in the lace. The foliage is made from loops of dark and light green silk-wrapped purl which have been couched down. Smaller branches are worked in couched silk. Beside the tree is a tall flower, with a stem of couched silk and flower buds of blue and white split stitch.
The ground in the foreground uses rows of narrow satin stitches in a variety of shades of green and gold to give the image more depth. Towards the left hand corner the ground is represented with some very fine single corded Brussels stitches worked in a looser pattern. Above this the lion, worked in chain stitch, looks back at his attacker. He is behind another shorter flower worked in cream split stitch with looped silk-wrapped purl leaves.
Above the lion and in the background is a second clump of trees worked in looped, green silk-wrapped purl and padded needlelace as before. The ground beneath these trees has been worked in brick stitch, allowing for stripes of different shades of green to add perspective. Between the trees is a shrub made of overtwisted silk threads.
In the sky are a butterfly with single corded Brussels wings and body and two birds worked in split stitch. Above them is a collection of split stitch clouds. At the top and bottom of the panel are silk cords which are heavily faded. At the bottom, below the cord, is a strip of metal braid.
This is a panel from a casket or cabinet, a tabletop box usually stitched by a well-off girl toward the end of her needlework education. Others were made by professional embroiderers, but this example was the work of a teenaged girl. These boxes, which contained secret compartments, held writing supplies, sewing supplies, perfumes, toys, and precious objects. When this panel was given to the Royal School of Needlework collection it was said to depict the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe. Though certain parts of the scene do suggest this, such as the lion and the male figure behind a tree, the inclusion of a club in the female figure's hands is unusual and does not match the narrative. Most depictions of Pyramus and Thisbe from this period, including those very rare depictions in embroidery, show Thisbe finding Pyramus after his death. This panel resembles in size and work a casket panel in the collection of Norfolk Museums (1975.213.138).
The second figure, a man, looks out from behind a tree on the viewer's right-hand side of the picture. He wears a knee length, brown, striped tunic over tights and boots all worked in needlelace techniques. He has a chain stitch belt, a single corded Brussels tunic, and single corded Brussels white collar and cuffs. He also wears a wide brimmed, brown hat of single corded Brussels stitches sat atop his hair, which is worked in a random series of straight stitches.
The tree trunk is worked in single Brussels stitches in shades of brown, fixed over fleece for padding. The fleece can be seen through two holes in the lace. The foliage is made from loops of dark and light green silk-wrapped purl which have been couched down. Smaller branches are worked in couched silk. Beside the tree is a tall flower, with a stem of couched silk and flower buds of blue and white split stitch.
The ground in the foreground uses rows of narrow satin stitches in a variety of shades of green and gold to give the image more depth. Towards the left hand corner the ground is represented with some very fine single corded Brussels stitches worked in a looser pattern. Above this the lion, worked in chain stitch, looks back at his attacker. He is behind another shorter flower worked in cream split stitch with looped silk-wrapped purl leaves.
Above the lion and in the background is a second clump of trees worked in looped, green silk-wrapped purl and padded needlelace as before. The ground beneath these trees has been worked in brick stitch, allowing for stripes of different shades of green to add perspective. Between the trees is a shrub made of overtwisted silk threads.
In the sky are a butterfly with single corded Brussels wings and body and two birds worked in split stitch. Above them is a collection of split stitch clouds. At the top and bottom of the panel are silk cords which are heavily faded. At the bottom, below the cord, is a strip of metal braid.
This is a panel from a casket or cabinet, a tabletop box usually stitched by a well-off girl toward the end of her needlework education. Others were made by professional embroiderers, but this example was the work of a teenaged girl. These boxes, which contained secret compartments, held writing supplies, sewing supplies, perfumes, toys, and precious objects. When this panel was given to the Royal School of Needlework collection it was said to depict the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe. Though certain parts of the scene do suggest this, such as the lion and the male figure behind a tree, the inclusion of a club in the female figure's hands is unusual and does not match the narrative. Most depictions of Pyramus and Thisbe from this period, including those very rare depictions in embroidery, show Thisbe finding Pyramus after his death. This panel resembles in size and work a casket panel in the collection of Norfolk Museums (1975.213.138).
Dimensions
width: 22cm
height: 14cm
height: 14cm
Materials
Stitches
Couching 
Split stitch
Chain stitch
Brick stitch
Single corded Brussels stitch
Single Brussels stitch
Double Brussels stitch
Overtwisting
Straight stitch
Split stitch
Chain stitch
Brick stitch
Single corded Brussels stitch
Single Brussels stitch
Double Brussels stitch
Overtwisting
Straight stitch
Techniques
Motifs
Credit line
Gift of Barbara and Roy Hirst.
Catalogue number
COL.2006.44
Other numbers
RSN 1591
© Royal School of Needlework