The study of Opus Anglicanum presented here will be bound into a book. These are my A3 pages for the illustrated study. Notes are given, as appropriate.
MM1 - Title Page - Lombardic lettering of the time. Tea stained page, lettering using Derwent metallic pencils.
MM5, 7, 8, 9, 11 follow on from MM6. I started looking for design sources from other branches of the arts from the period, particularly birds (MM8). This continues my work on gulls from Module 1, broadening it to birds in general as I didn't find any reference to gulls from the period, perhaps as they weren't symbolic, unlike the 'Pelican in her Piety' and others. I had hoped to study the Cope of Passion from Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges Catherdral Treasury as it depicts 32 varieties of birds, along with 60 animals and 100 figures, but images were scarce or poor - I might just have to visit.
I was particulary drawn to the encaustic tiles of the period (especially as I'm trying to make use of my wax pot). It wasn't until I started looking into this that I discovered the design on 'encaustic' tiles was not made from a beeswax glaze but from the use of different coloured clays, so they are, infact, inlaid. That's interesting, but it doesn't alter the fact that I still like the designs. Other smaller images are fragments from the time.
MM12 - stitch sample. Fine linen backed with coarser linen. Design from encaustic tile in St Mary's Church, Carew Cheriton. From the top,
- surface couching
- underside couching
- split stitch, using one strand of stranded cotton. Diameter approx. 14mm. Time taken 2.5 hours, facilitated by use of magnifying light in daytime. I stand in awe of Mabel of Bury St Edmunds and the other medieval embroiderers. I understand all too clearly why there was a ban on night working to maintain the high standard of workmanship.
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