Opus Anglicanum

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richardandtracy
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Opus Anglicanum

Post by richardandtracy »

Just a reminder to those in the UK and anyone visiting the UK, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London has a special exhibition on the unbelievable embroidery work produced in the UK during the Mediaeval period. The exhibition has already started & runs until 5 Feb 2017.

https://shop.vam.ac.uk/whatson/index/vi ... Embroidery

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Mabel Figworthy
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Re: Opus Anglicanum

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And it is absolutely stunning! I was there last Friday, and my only "criticism" would be that there was so much to see and such a lot of detail in it that by the end I had information overload. Some of the embroideries look a bit sad, all faded and moth-eaten, but then considering they are 700 or 800 years old it's a mircacle they've survived at all. And some of the embroideries still retain much of their colour and detail.

I found it a little disappointing that you couldn't get close up to every piece of embroidery, but then I realise that may be a bit difficult when displaying a complete cope (ecclesiastical cloak), and there were plenty of things that you could get really close to and see the details of the work. The split stitches used for the hands and faces of the embroidered figures (and much of their dress too) are minuscule! it must have taken several ages to cover a whole garment in them.

I did like one explanatory comment, about a scene depicting the betrayal of Jesus, with Judas identifying Jesus by means of a kiss, and the guards carrying sticks. It said "The striped leggings of Christ's attackers were a marker of their sinful pride and bad character." I'm so glad I got rid of my stripy tights some years ago!
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Re: Opus Anglicanum

Post by wendywombat »

I love the V&A. I've been a couple of times, but never to a special exhibition. That looks like an amazing event.
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Re: Opus Anglicanum

Post by Squirrel »

How amazing that embroidery from so long ago is still able to be displayed. It must be awesome. Thanks for sharing.
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Serinde
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Re: Opus Anglicanum

Post by Serinde »

I haven't been to London for about 30 years, but I am trying to find a way to get to see this, probably in January, since there do not seem to be plans for it to travel at all (understandably, I guess). It's such an opportunity! If worse comes to worst, I'll at least try to buy the catalogue.
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Re: Opus Anglicanum

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I hate going into London. It's about 40 miles upwind from here, and we can see the stain in the air when the plume of effluent isn't blowing directly over the top of us. Anything inside the M25 is to be avoided as far as I'm concerned, I think the last time I went into London was 2014, or maybe 2013.
However, it really does seem too much of an important exhibition to miss. I will be talking with the boss (Tracy) over it. Never been to the V&A either, always been diverted by the Science Museum on the other side of the road.

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Serinde
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Re: Opus Anglicanum

Post by Serinde »

I get the orange glow from Glasgow to the south over the hills. Luckily for us, the westerlies generally blow most noxious stuff away. (Let's not think about the wind blowing over Faslane, which is also west of us... :x )
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Re: Opus Anglicanum

Post by Mabel Figworthy »

Richard, Serinde, if you have the opportunity at all do take it, even if it means venturing into London :-) (I happen to like London - so many beautiful parks and cemeteries!) It definitely looked like a once-in-a-lifetime collection.
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Re: Opus Anglicanum

Post by richardandtracy »

Can I ask: The tickets appear to be for a set time, so are you hurried along to clear space for people coming in?

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Re: Opus Anglicanum

Post by Mabel Figworthy »

I didn't buy a ticket in advance, just went to the ticket desk at the museum. The man did ask was I going in right now, and I asked whether the tickets were timed, but he said only when it was very busy really, and I could take my time - which I did, and at no time did I feel hurried along. This was on a Friday afternoon at about 1.30, 2 o' clock.
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Re: Opus Anglicanum

Post by agi »

Oh, I wish I could go. Sadly, when I am on holiday, all Swedish kids are on holiday too, all families travel, and the ticket prices are extremely high. :(
I love V&A, always go there when in London, and most of the time I only look at the textile section. :P
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Re: Opus Anglicanum

Post by BizzieLizzie »

Ooh thanks for the heads up, I will definitely pop along! Whenever DH and I visit stately homes I'm always fascinated by the embroideries and tapestries so this is right up my street. For those not familiar with the V&A, if you do go to the exhibition, the Tapestry Room is also worth a look. :wub:
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Re: Opus Anglicanum

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Mabel Figworthy wrote:And it is absolutely stunning! I was there last Friday, and my only "criticism" would be that there was so much to see and such a lot of detail in it that by the end I had information overload. Some of the embroideries look a bit sad, all faded and moth-eaten, but then considering they are 700 or 800 years old it's a mircacle they've survived at all. And some of the embroideries still retain much of their colour and detail.

I found it a little disappointing that you couldn't get close up to every piece of embroidery, but then I realise that may be a bit difficult when displaying a complete cope (ecclesiastical cloak), and there were plenty of things that you could get really close to and see the details of the work. The split stitches used for the hands and faces of the embroidered figures (and much of their dress too) are minuscule! it must have taken several ages to cover a whole garment in them.

I did like one explanatory comment, about a scene depicting the betrayal of Jesus, with Judas identifying Jesus by means of a kiss, and the guards carrying sticks. It said "The striped leggings of Christ's attackers were a marker of their sinful pride and bad character." I'm so glad I got rid of my stripy tights some years ago!
I managed to get to the exhibition on Wednesday.

It was hard to take in. The work was so fine & detailed that on the earlier work it was almost totally impossible to even see the stitches. It was almost as if the stitching representing skin was woven in situ from silk thread. It really was that well stitched.

As Mabel says, many of the colours have faded badly and the fabric itself deteriorated. But... The oldest work there is heading for 900 years old. How many of us will leave any discernible mark on the world in 900 years time? I'd be amazed if any of my work is around in 100. Having said that, I do find it faintly worrying that I have already been to two museums and seen some of the containers I worked with in the last 20 years as minor exhibits/props in the museums. :oops: Maybe obsolescence is coming increasingly rapidly...

Sorry, back on track.
The exhibition takes around 3/4 hr to go through, despite the fact there are not a huge number of exhibits (40 or 50 maybe, of which there are 8-10 full copes and some of the exhibits are mere fragments) - you really want to do justice to the work.
I was startled at the difference in quality between the Pre- and Post- black death work. The later work is much poorer quality, merely what one would consider 'Museum Quality', and is similar in quality to what my great aunt produced for her City & Guilds in 1912 (I think). The earlier work is an order of magnitude better, of a standard that is probably impossible to replicate by amateurs these days because they simply do not get the practice to develop the skill. I doubt if professionals have the time to reproduce the quality either, due to time pressures.
It was proposed that the black death killed off so many people that the skills were lost and the cost of someone's time to do it became impossibly expensive. So, the same quality of work on show in the exhibition is never likely to be achieved again. Ever. That's a sobering thought. In what other field did medieval workers so excel that it will never be possible to reach the same quality level? I cannot think of any other field.

Must say this, there was one family tree panel (whose name I have forgotten, mea culpa) with an image of St Steven with a tree growing from his side and four detailed portraits above. The detail was such that the eyes were painted on with single silk threads, and you could see the direction the faces were looking, and on one woman's face a slightly saucy sideways glance was being made at the next male figure up the tree. I have never in my life seen so much detail in a face only 40mm high. Truly breath-taking.

This book goes with the exhibition https://www.amazon.co.uk/English-Mediev ... anglicanum and includes all the work on display along with a good deal more explanation. It's very hefty!

Do visit the exhibition if you can, it is well worth it. Do take a magnifying glass, a big one, as I think you'll need it!

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Re: Opus Anglicanum

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I'd willingly face the flight to London to see that exhibition
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Re: Opus Anglicanum

Post by starshine123102 »

Merry Christmas!!

This sounds like a fabulous exhibit! My husband surprised me today with airline tickets to the UK for our 2nd anniversary and I immediately remembered this post. Sadly, our anniversary is in March and the exhibit is over in February, so I won't get to see it. Maybe someday!
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Re: Opus Anglicanum

Post by richardandtracy »

Well, have a happy anniversary.

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