When Margaret Roper (maiden name Margaret More, eldest daughter of Sir
Thomas More) was 30 years old, she had a miniature of herself painted
circa 1535 by Hans Holbein the Younger. In this portrait, Holbein has
included significant detail of the embroidery pattern found on her
collar. This is a recreation of part of that pattern.
Holbein stitch, also referred to as double-running stitch or Spanish
stitch, is a reversible stitch used in early 16th century blackwork
embroidery. If you would like more information on blackwork embroidery,
please check out other videos on my channel.
Follow along as I use AI to create a research paper for me on
Holbein-inspired blackwork embroidery and find out if the information
provided was true or incorrect.
This English sampler (Accession Number 1942.508), circa 1600-1630, is at
the Cleveland Museum of Art. It is part of The Mary Pack McNairy
Collection. This sampler has embroidery done in silk thread on linen
tabby ground. Along with double-running stitch, this sampler also has
cross stitch on it. What is interesting about this sampler is the
variety of color displayed on it, including blue, red, and green. By
enhancing the picture of this sampler online, it appears that the
stitches are done by every 2nd hole on the linen.
From beginning to end: This is a compilation of 3 embroidery patterns
found on 3 different Holbein patterns: the cross, the ocean wave, and
the center pattern. The cross pattern can be found near the edge of Jane
Seymour's cuffs with blackwork embroidery, also known as Holbein
Stitch, from Hans Holbein the Younger's painting from 1536. The ocean
wave pattern was found on the 16th century collar of the Noble Boy with a
Marmoset. The center pattern: In 1526, Hans Holbein the Younger painted
the Darmstadt Madonna, which included Anna Meyer in the bottom right
corner of the portrait. Anna had on a white dress with horizontal bands
of blackwork embroidery on it (per the Textile Research Centre).
Hans Holbein the Younger was a European painter, just like his older
brother Ambrosius and his father, Hans the Elder. If you hear the term
'Holbein stitch', it is in reference to Hans the Younger. From his
friendship with Erasmus, he had a letter of introduction and found
himself in England to eventually become a court painter in the court of
King Henry VIII of England. Compared to other artists at the time,
Holbein painted numerous portraits with blackwork embroidery in them.
Holbein stitch, also referred to as double-running stitch or Spanish
stitch, is a reversible counted stitch used in early 16th century
blackwork embroidery. If you would like more information on blackwork
embroidery, please check out other videos on my channel, as well as my
blackwork embroidery blog (link below).