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Source Description

This tapestry frontal from the fourteenth century was made in Italy, but found its way to England, where it was owned by John Grandisson, bishop of Exeter (r. 1327-1369). Grandisson was an avid patron of the arts who had traveled widely in Europe, and he often imported works of art from continental Europe to England. His coat of arms was added to the panel in two places, to the garments of Saints Stephen and Lawrence (the second and fifth saints on the panel). By adding his heraldry to the garments of Stephen and Lawrence, both deacons, Bishop Grandisson associated himself with these revered servants of the Church. The cloth is made of linen cord wrapped in silver, and the vines surrounding the saints were embroidered to create a raised pattern, enhancing the reflective quality of the panel. It shows a parade of martyrs who would have probably flanked a central image of the Virgin, now lost. The references to the sacrifices of these saints would have called to mind the Eucharist, a rite celebrated in remembrance of Christ's sacrifice.

Scholar Source Context

Document identity
localId
10524
label
Embroidered Altar Frontal with Standing Saints
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
8
Source metadata
id
10524
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Embroidered Altar Frontal with Standing Saints
description
This tapestry frontal from the fourteenth century was made in Italy, but found its way to England, where it was owned by John Grandisson, bishop of Exeter (r. 1327-1369). Grandisson was an avid patron of the arts who had traveled widely in Europe, and he often imported works of art from continental Europe to England. His coat of arms was added to the panel in two places, to the garments of Saints Stephen and Lawrence (the second and fifth saints on the panel). By adding his heraldry to the garments of Stephen and Lawrence, both deacons, Bishop Grandisson associated himself with these revered servants of the Church. The cloth is made of linen cord wrapped in silver, and the vines surrounding the saints were embroidered to create a raised pattern, enhancing the reflective quality of the panel. It shows a parade of martyrs who would have probably flanked a central image of the Virgin, now lost. The references to the sacrifices of these saints would have called to mind the Eucharist, a rite celebrated in remembrance of Christ's sacrifice.
provenance
John Grandisson, Bishop of Exeter (1292-1369); Bacri Antiquaire, Paris [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1973, by purchase.
date
before 1369 (Medieval)
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Textiles
antependia
imageCount
8
pageCount
8
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
82.1
height
97
dimensionsRaw
Overall (panel 1) : H: 32 5/16 × W: 38 3/16 in. (82.1 × 97 cm)Overall (panel 2): H: 29 15/16 × W: 36 1/4 in. (76 × 92.1 cm)Overall: H: 39 × W: 64 5/8 × D: 1 in. (99.1 × 164.1 × 2.5 cm)
Source extras
cul
Italian
style
Gothic
RelatedObjects
679
33241
med
silk and silver thread on linen
creator_ids
18723
collection_ids
MED
TAF
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
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1
type
photo
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163529b1c933943d
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no
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no
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photo
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5e0c5b6b4ece2155
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type
photo
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type
photo
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seq
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type
photo
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type
photo
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seq
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type
photo
mediaId
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no
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no
seq
8
type
photo
mediaId
dfcb9576fa22ae38
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no