A Southern German or Swiss wool and metal-thread embroidered armorial New Testament Biblical antependium (or wall hanging) dated 1592

worked in polychrome wool threads, with variation in thickness of threads and stitches used, with, and with golden metal-thread highlights in each panel, the horizontal panel worked with three scenes divided by columns, depicting the 'Nativity' on the left hand side, the 'Adoration of the Magi' in the centre, with unidentified coat-of-arms (could be the combined arms of a cleric and arms of a church; possibly of an abbot of a Cistercian abbey with association with the Vollmar family of Schaffhausen), within a pendant ribbon tied wreath, and the ‘Presentation of Christ in the Temple' on the far right hand side, each scene separated and flanked at the far sides by a column surmounted by a cherubim, and dated 1592, in metal-thread against the altar base, the lower edge with flame pattern design,

Measurements: 91cm. high on each side, 269cm. across the top, 267cm. across the bottom. Colours and condition overall are excellent. There are various stitches used, and knots in places, for example to the beards. They have been beautifully worked to create charm and character to the design. The colours of the wools are less yellow in reality when compared with the photograph of the complete panel, and are a better match with the detail. They are in reality crisper and more defined. The metal-thread detailing and edging is evident in each panel: The Nativity: left side - in the straw around the crib, feathers to birds in trees, lantern held by Jacob, spires of the buildings of the churches, banderole held by the angel, belt and edges of Magdalene's robe; The Adoration of the Magi: central panel - chains of office, spurs and hilt of swords, crown and baton, the star, three gifts from the Kings, buttons, rings, hat details and edging of Magdalene's robe; The Presentation of Christ in the Temple: right hand side panel - gold numbers of date, edging of robes, haloes and mitre, swaddling bands. There are some surface marks to the column on the left of the central panel of the Adoration of the Magi, which can been seen in the photograph. There are repairs to the browns; possibly the very dark brown of lantern, coat of arms hilt of sword and the hat of figure on the far right; and some repairs in other areas. Professionally restored: with stamp of Galerie Blondeel Deroyan - Paris, on the reverse of the lining. Professionally applied with linen lining, and Velcro attached across the top edge for hanging purpose. Please contact the department if you would like more photographs.
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There are comparable narrow frieze hangings with scenes separated by evenly spaced ornamented columns, and the far edges flanked by the columns see examples, albeit in a different technique of woven tapestry rather than embroidery. They were used in an ecclesiastical context, as wall hangings, dossals (above an altar) or as antependium. The stories and themes were well known, the different techniques in which they were rendered varied. Existing textile panels were used as narrow friezes, individual panels and as large panels with several rows of the different scenes. For the compositional arrangements various print sources were used, for example including recognisable compositions from souces such as the Nuremberg Calendar by Hans von Kulmback or the Marienleben by Albrecht Dürer. In addition to woodcut print sources, manuscript illustrations, narrative paintings for retables, stained glass windows and tapestries were inspiration for the designs.  For this particular textile genre the evolution is seen from the late 15^th and early 16^th century, Northern Rhine/Swiss panels, with the format of the friezes without such demarcation of the scenes with columns, the stylised ‘flame’ style edging and the incorporation of shields with sometimes unidentifiable family coat-of-arms, see Betty Kurth, Die Deutschen Bildteppiche des Mittelalters, Vienna, 1926, Vol. I & II, pp.207, 226-227, 223-234, 317-318.

A comparable woven tapestry hanging, depicting eight scenes from the life of Mary and the childhood of Christ, attributed to Central Switzerland, mid 16^th century, which originally served as a pulpit hanging in the Convent church of St. Urban (Lucerne), is now in the AmRhyn Collection, Lucerne (Inv. no. 1902.9: in two sections: each 54cm. high, and together 433cm. wide). Although in a different technique, this panel has similarities in the naïve and yet very charming rendition of the figure types and settings including the stylised scattered plant motifs and chequered floors, see Hans Lanz, Die alten Bidteppiche im Historischen Museum Basel, Basel, 1985, pp.74-75. Recognisable print sources from the Nuremberg Calendar by Hans von Kulmback (for the Birth and Adoration scenes), and the Marienleben by Albrecht Dürer (the Circumcision), have been identified.

For another comparable tapestry antependium, depicting six scenes from the Life of the Virgin, Upper Rhineland, Strasbourg, about 1500, see Adolph Cavallo, Medieval Tapestries in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1993, Cat. no. 61, pp.657-663.