Holbein Stitch, aka Double-Running Stitch, Spanish Work, & Blackwork Embroidery

Holbein stitch, also referred to as double-running stitch or Spanish blackwork, is a reversible geometric embroidery stitch used in early 16th century blackwork embroidery. 

 

Hans Holbein the Younger was an artist from the early half of the 16th century, who became a court painter for King Henry VIII of England. The blackwork embroidery in so many of his portraits were so detailed that this particular type of double-running stitch (also known as Spanish Work) earned the nickname of Holbein Stitch. 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information on the history of blackwork embroidery, check out my video here.

 

If you are interested in watching step by step of how Holbein stitch is done, check out my latest embroidery video here.

 

 

         Works Cited: 

- "Catherine of Aragon." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_of_Aragon#/media/File:Catherine_of_Aragon_(1485-1536).jpg 

- Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Ed. John Halverson. New York: Bobbs-Merrill. 1971. 

- Holbein, Hans. “Mrs Jane Small, formerly Mrs Pemberton.” V&A Museum. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O16583/mrs-jane-small-formerly-mrs-portrait-miniature/. 

 - Holbein, Hans. “Self-Portrait.” Uffizi Gallery. https://www.virtualuffizi.com/self-portrait.html. 

- Holbein d. J., Hans. “Jane Seymour.” Kunst Historisches Museum Wien. https://www.khm.at/en/objectdb/detail/966/. 

- Holbein d. J., Hans. “Portrait of a Noble Boy with a Marmoset.” KunstMuseum Basel. https://sammlungonline.kunstmuseumbasel.ch/eMP/eMuseumPlus?service=direct/1/ResultDetailView/result.inline.list.t1.collection_list.$TspTitleImageLink.link&sp=13&sp=Sartist&sp=SfilterDefinition&sp=0&sp=1&sp=1&sp=SdetailView&sp=142&sp=Sdetail&sp=0&sp=T&sp=0&sp=SdetailList&sp=275&sp=F&sp=Scollection&sp=l19344. 

 - Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Darmstadt Madonna.” https://useum.org/artwork/Darmstadt-Madonna-Hans-Holbein-1526. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Elizabeth, Lady Audley.” Royal Collection Trust. https://www.rct.uk/collection/422292/elizabeth-lady-audley-1564. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Lady Margaret (Bacon) Butts.” Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. https://www.gardnermuseum.org/experience/collection/11867. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Margaret Roper (Margaret More).” The Met Museum. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436662. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “An Unidentified Woman.” Royal Collection Trust. https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/55/collection/912254/an-unidentified-woman.