. "Rigid apparel of embroidered brownish red silk velvet bordered with a band of yellow silk satin (1 inch in width), and edged with a narrow black and brown silk braid. The red velvet bears a strong image created through the application of silk satin and couched cord: a skull and cross-bones dominates the centre of the panel and is surrounded by decorative scrollwork. The applique white satin is tinted or painted in black and grey on the skull and elsewhere in blue and red. The applique of yellow satin in blue (which creates areas of green). The applique satin is outlined in a couched yellow and white cord, and certain elements of the design are emphasised by the use of a similar couched outline, such as the teeth on the skull. In the centre of the skull there are needle or pin holes that suggest it may have been stitched to something at one point (they form a zig zag shape). Drips of, possibly, candle wax have dried on the surface of the panel.\n\nThe panel is backed with coarse undyed, probably, linen in a plain weave, and possibly glued to the silk (to go by the rigidity of the piece) although a few stray thread ends on the back suggest that some of the stitching was executed after the linen was put in place."@en . . . . "This object belonged to a set of church ornaments, probably fulfilling the function of a panel on a dalmatic (the priestly garment worn by deacons). It is one of a set of matching ecclesiastical embroideries whose colour and imagery were appropriate for the liturgy of the dead and were therefore used at funerals. The Spanish style of dalmatic had matching apparels on the front, back and sleeves, those on the body being substantially larger (squarer) than those on the sleeves (rectangles). Usually, those on the body of the garment were attached between the waist and the hemline, those on the sleeves towards the edge with the imagery clearly visible when the arm was at rest by the wearer's side. (Pauline Johnstone. High Fashion in the Church. Leeds: Maney, 2002, p.142). The other panels in the collection that arrived with this panel and match it in design, seem to be two for the body of a dalmatic and two for the sleeves. They would probably have been attached to a garment of some variety of black silk (possibly velvet). Our own collection has a sixteenth century funerary dalmatic intact, with its panels in the correct position (T.766.1919).\n\nThe creation of embroidery and the learning of embroidery skills followed a similar path to that of sculpture and painting, and recently serious research has begun on its professional development in certain local centres in Spain (e.g. Marta Laguardia's work on Salamanca). Basically, skills were learnt through apprenticeship in a guild and groups of objects were made according to similar specifications (e.g. the workshop of the sculptor Gregorio Fernandez or that of the painter Francisco Zurbaran). Successful execution of standard imagery was valued (where today 'creativity' and 'originality' are highly prized). In some cases, embroidery was learnt in convents and nuns were skilled needlewomen who could make church ornaments.\n\nBy the seventeenth century the stark imagery of skull and crossbones was well-established shorthand for the fragility of human life, the transitory nature of the flesh, being used on gravestones and monuments as well as in painting and textiles. The raw drama of this imagery fits in with the principle of arousing deep emotion in the viewer, a principle promulgated in the Council of Trent (1545-63) and adopted in countries that espoused Counter-Reformation ideology. In many ways the imagery and its attention to the fragility of human life echoes the 'vanitas' paintings of the seventeenth century, such as the works by Juan Vald\u00E9s Leal, In Ictu Oculi and Finis Gloriae Mundi in the Iglesia del Hospital de la Santa Caridad in Seville. (Juan de Vald\u00E9s Leal (1622-1690). Cordoba: Caja Sur Publicaciones, 2001, pp. 48-9)\n\nMaria Dolores Vila (Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas, Madrid) indicates that there are magnificent examples at the Monasteries at El Escorial and Guadalupe in Spain, but almost all convents or small parishes had some such items, and great houses had them with their coats of arms added (Personal communication by email, 30 May 2006). She noted the publication of certain objects in Las Edades del Hombre: el arbol de la vida. Catedral de Segovia, May-November 2003, pp.391-392, 275-78; Huellas. Catedral de Murcia, 2002, p. 340. Similar emphasis on skeletons, crosses, etc. is found in embroideries on chasubles etc. Johnstone illustrates a particularly dramatic chasuble made in Augsburg before 1630, and a dalmatic made in the Northern Netherlands in the second quarter of the seventeenth century. Its apparels follow the Netherlandish rather than Spanish fashion (Johnstone, p.96.)"@en . . "Apparel of embroidered silk velvet applied with silk satin, probably made in Spain, 1600-1650."@en . "Apparel of embroidered silk velvet applied with silk satin, probably made in Spain, 1600-1650."@en . "1600 / 1650, Spain" . "This object belonged to a set of church ornaments, probably fulfilling the function of a panel on a dalmatic (the priestly garment worn by deacons). It is one of a set of matching ecclesiastical embroideries whose colour and imagery were appropriate for the liturgy of the dead and were therefore used at funerals. The Spanish style of dalmatic had matching apparels on the front, back and sleeves, those on the body being substantially larger (squarer) than those on the sleeves (rectangles). Usually, those on the body of the garment were attached between the waist and the hemline, those on the sleeves towards the edge with the imagery clearly visible when the arm was at rest by the wearer's side. (Pauline Johnstone. High Fashion in the Church. Leeds: Maney, 2002, p.142). The other panels in the collection that arrived with this panel and match it in design, seem to be two for the body of a dalmatic and two for the sleeves. They would probably have been attached to a garment of some variety of black silk (possibly velvet). Our own collection has a sixteenth century funerary dalmatic intact, with its panels in the correct position (T.766.1919).\n\nThe creation of embroidery and the learning of embroidery skills followed a similar path to that of sculpture and painting, and recently serious research has begun on its professional development in certain local centres in Spain (e.g. Marta Laguardia's work on Salamanca). Basically, skills were learnt through apprenticeship in a guild and groups of objects were made according to similar specifications (e.g. the workshop of the sculptor Gregorio Fernandez or that of the painter Francisco Zurbaran). Successful execution of standard imagery was valued (where today 'creativity' and 'originality' are highly prized). In some cases, embroidery was learnt in convents and nuns were skilled needlewomen who could make church ornaments.\n\nBy the seventeenth century the stark imagery of skull and crossbones was well-established shorthand for the fragility of human life, the transitory nature of the flesh, being used on gravestones and monuments as well as in painting and textiles. The raw drama of this imagery fits in with the principle of arousing deep emotion in the viewer, a principle promulgated in the Council of Trent (1545-63) and adopted in countries that espoused Counter-Reformation ideology. In many ways the imagery and its attention to the fragility of human life echoes the 'vanitas' paintings of the seventeenth century, such as the works by Juan Vald\u00E9s Leal, In Ictu Oculi and Finis Gloriae Mundi in the Iglesia del Hospital de la Santa Caridad in Seville. (Juan de Vald\u00E9s Leal (1622-1690). Cordoba: Caja Sur Publicaciones, 2001, pp. 48-9)\n\nMaria Dolores Vila (Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas, Madrid) indicates that there are magnificent examples at the Monasteries at El Escorial and Guadalupe in Spain, but almost all convents or small parishes had some such items, and great houses had them with their coats of arms added (Personal communication by email, 30 May 2006). She noted the publication of certain objects in Las Edades del Hombre: el arbol de la vida. Catedral de Segovia, May-November 2003, pp.391-392, 275-78; Huellas. Catedral de Murcia, 2002, p. 340. Similar emphasis on skeletons, crosses, etc. is found in embroideries on chasubles etc. Johnstone illustrates a particularly dramatic chasuble made in Augsburg before 1630, and a dalmatic made in the Northern Netherlands in the second quarter of the seventeenth century. Its apparels follow the Netherlandish rather than Spanish fashion (Johnstone, p.96.)"@en . . "Rigid apparel of embroidered brownish red silk velvet bordered with a band of yellow silk satin (1 inch in width), and edged with a narrow black and brown silk braid. The red velvet bears a strong image created through the application of silk satin and couched cord: a skull and cross-bones dominates the centre of the panel and is surrounded by decorative scrollwork. The applique white satin is tinted or painted in black and grey on the skull and elsewhere in blue and red. The applique of yellow satin in blue (which creates areas of green). The applique satin is outlined in a couched yellow and white cord, and certain elements of the design are emphasised by the use of a similar couched outline, such as the teeth on the skull. In the centre of the skull there are needle or pin holes that suggest it may have been stitched to something at one point (they form a zig zag shape). Drips of, possibly, candle wax have dried on the surface of the panel.\n\nThe panel is backed with coarse undyed, probably, linen in a plain weave, and possibly glued to the silk (to go by the rigidity of the piece) although a few stray thread ends on the back suggest that some of the stitching was executed after the linen was put in place."@en . "Unique"@en . . "0.64249998331069946289"^^ . "1600 / 1650, Spain" . "T.298C-1967" . "This panel belonged to a set of ecclesiastical ornaments used during Christian ceremonies. In the language of the Church, the colours and the imagery of this object were appropriate for funeral services. The skull and crossbones, a well-established symbol, dramatically reminded the congregation of the transitory nature of life. They appeared on grave stones, monuments and paintings as well as in textiles.\n\nDuring the Counter-Reformation from the second half of the 16th century, the Catholic Church encouraged the revitalisation of the arts and in particular their role in arousing intense emotion. Different media were used publicly to produce awe and fervour among the faithful during church services, including funerals."@en . "This panel belonged to a set of ecclesiastical ornaments used during Christian ceremonies. In the language of the Church, the colours and the imagery of this object were appropriate for funeral services. The skull and crossbones, a well-established symbol, dramatically reminded the congregation of the transitory nature of life. They appeared on grave stones, monuments and paintings as well as in textiles.\n\nDuring the Counter-Reformation from the second half of the 16th century, the Catholic Church encouraged the revitalisation of the arts and in particular their role in arousing intense emotion. Different media were used publicly to produce awe and fervour among the faithful during church services, including funerals."@en . . . . "Unique"@en . . . .