Spanish School, circa 1600

In the late 16th century, the monastery complex of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, founded by King Philip II of Spain in 1563, was a centre of artistic production, and a number of Spanish artists worked there, producing designs for embroidery intended for the liturgical vestments of the priests - chasubles, copes, dalmatics, etc. - or as ornamental coverings for the altars.   Stylistically, these drawings, meticulously pricked for transfer, are distinctive, and the present design, though possibly slightly later, would appear to follow in this tradition.