Insights into the Production of Opus Anglicanum: An Object Analysis of Two Panels from the Pillar Orphreys on the Whalley Abbey Altar Frontal

Abstract

It has long been noted that there was a decline in the standards of English embroidery from the mid-fourteenth century onwards. A combination of the Black Death, wars, overseas competition and economic stresses have all been recognised as possible reasons for the loss in quality of these embroideries. This article analyses the production techniques employed by artists/designers and embroiderers during the declining period of Opus Anglicanum, a style of embroidery typical of the late medieval period, which was almost always professional work. The discussion focuses on two lower panels of the pillar orphreys on the Whalley Abbey altar frontal, which date from around 1400 and belong to Towneley Hall Museum and Art Gallery, Burnley, UK. The article suggests that similarities in the design of the two panels provide a glimpse into the time-saving solutions developed by embroiderers to produce Opus Anglicanum as its manufacturing quality deteriorated.

This article is derived from findings during the treatment of the Whalley Abbey altar frontal as part fulfilment of the author’s MA in Textile Conservation. L. Tonkin, ‘Whalley Abby Altar Frontal, TCC 3138’, unpublished conservation report, Textile Conservation Centre, formerly of the University of Southampton, 2009. Many thanks to Frances Lennard, former Senior Lecturer, Textile Conservation Centre, University of Southampton for supervising the conservation treatment. I am particularly grateful to Lisa Monnas, independent textile historian, who encouraged me to publish this study during her visit to see the altar frontal. I extend my thanks to Michael Halliwell, former conservation photographer, Textile Conservation Centre, University of Southampton, for his diligence in helping to document the orphreys.

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Leanne C Tonkin

Leanne Tonkin has been a Textile Conservator at the People’s History Museum, Manchester, since 2009, after spending ten years working as a commercial fashion designer. She completed an MA in the History of Textile and Dress (2007), followed by an MA in Textile Conservation at the Textile Conservation Centre, formerly of the University of Southampton (2009).