Description:
Ornate purse made of silk and heavily embellished with metallic threads embroidery. These kinds of textiles may have served as containers or gift bags, and also given at weddings, often depicting scenes associated with symbols of love or united armorials. Two 18" long tasseled cords made of plaited metallic threads and shaped wooden ends draw the bag closed. Despite the presence of these cords, there is no strong evidence these bags were ever carried by their owners; instead they may have been cords for hanging or display purposes. Such a "sweete bage" may have held a small New Year's gift of jewels or coins, or perhaps a container of perfume or sweetly scented herbs. On this example, there are two scenes. One side may depicts two men, one with wings, struggling, and two birds in the upper corners, which may derive from a biblical story such as Jacob's encounters with 'angels' described in Genesis 32:4-36:43 and possibly be based on a contemporary print. The other side depicts a man wearing a crowns and flanked by two women; he may be Charles I (1600-1649) who reigned England from 1625 until his execution in 1649. This example probably pre-dates the English Civil War (1642–1651) which led to the trial and execution of Charles I. The bag was probably made by a professional as suggested by the fact that the many colors of the embroidery thread are the same thread type. its construction is a simple rectangular piece of silk folded at the bottom, and seamed at the sides.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+F.751 |
