Description and Details
An important Spanish cloth-of-gold and bullion embroidery panel, dating to approximately 1590–1610, during the reigns of Philip II and Philip III. It combines a cream silk ground woven with metallic threads and substantial raised silver-gilt embroidery, preserving both the decorative richness and the supporting construction of a late-Renaissance textile.
The design is arranged vertically, with two large, symmetrical architectural cartouches containing stylised artichokes and pomegranates. Crown-like ornament sweeps out to either side, giving the composition a formal, balanced structure.
The heavy silk damask or lampas ground incorporates supplementary flat gold lamé weft threads, producing a reflective shimmer beneath the embroidery. The motifs are outlined in raised, coiled silver-gilt bullion, secured to the surface by secondary couching threads. The work follows a stencil-guided design, combining precise woven pattern with the depth and texture of the raised metal-thread outlines.
The couched bullion outlines were originally golden, with a very thin outer layer of gold over silver. Over four centuries, handling has worn away sections of the gilding, revealing the underlying silver and its dark tarnish. Surviving gold and exposed silver remain together within the raised outlines, preserving an aged metallic patina that forms part of the panel’s history and character.
The reverse reveals a coarse, hand-loomed linen/hemp backing canvas. Rows of linen couching stitches pass through the silk face and backing to support the weight of the bullion outlines. This visible construction is an important part of the panel’s interest, showing how the decorative surface and structural support were worked together.
The panel retains its historic TVADA, or Thames Valley Antique Dealers’ Association, fair attribution tag from the Clive Rogers Archive, stock number 0241. This surviving label records its association with the specialist textile dealer and forms part of its collecting history.
The panel is offered in stable, original antique condition. The raised, couched bullion outlines remain securely anchored and structurally sound throughout the patterned areas, with worn gilding and tarnished silver as described above. The metallic silk ground retains its shimmer, with no dry shattering, colour bleeding or major threadbare areas.
The backing canvas is clean and strong, with no dry rot or insect damage. Its supporting structure remains sound for professional display or conservation mounting.
