Guess if Silk or Wool was Used for the Blackwork Embroidery in Holbein Portraits

Let’s play a game of guessing whether the person in the 16th century Holbein portrait was wearing silk or wool thread for their blackwork embroidery!

 

In the 16th century, silk thread was popular for blackwork embroidery… for those above a certain station in life. During King Henry VIII’s reign, he passed 4 Acts of Apparel: in 1510, 1514, 1515, and 1533. These laws regulated what people were and were not allowed to wear to help define their hierarchical status within society, or face the consequences of being fined for disobeying the law. These laws continued and were updated through Queen Elizabeth I’s reign. 

As of 1533, no man under the degree of a Baron’s son or of a Knight, except for if he had earned yearly in lands or tenements, rents fees or annuities to his own use for term of his life or in the right of his wife two hundred pounds over all charges shall wear any manner of embroidery with gold, silver or silk in any part of their apparel. 

So, if a person could not wear silk embroidery, what could they use? Cotton or linen may have been used, but wool was probably the most popular among those who didn’t qualify for silk embroidery (because wool was the most popular fabric due to the successful wool trade). 

So… with Holbein’s portraits with blackwork embroidery in them, let’s playing a guessing game of if they’re wearing silk or wool! Since King Henry VIII was the king of England, this game will apply only to Holbein’s sketches and portraits of English subjects. I’ll give a few details about the person, wait a moment to see if you can guess the answer, and then I’ll post the answer on the screen. Ready? 

 

 

          Works Cited:

- Holbein, Hans. “Mrs Jane Small, formerly Mrs Pemberton.” V&A Museum. 

- Holbein d. J., Hans. “Jane Seymour.” Kunst Historisches Museum Wien. 

- Holbein, Hans the Younger. “Double Portrait of Sir Thomas Godsalve and His Son John.” Web Gallery of Art. 

- Holbein, Hans the Younger. “Portrait of Henry Howard, the Earl of Surrey.” Web Gallery of Art. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Elizabeth, Lady Audley.” Royal Collection Trust. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Katherine, Duchess of Suffolk.” Royal Collection Trust. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Lady Margaret (Bacon) Butts.” Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Margaret Roper (Margaret More).” The Met Museum. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Anne Cresacre.” Royal Collection Trust. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Portrait of Robert Cheseman.” Mauritshuis. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Thomas, 2nd Baron Vaux.” Royal Collection Trust. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Thomas Howard, Third Duke of Norfolk.” Royal Collection Trust. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Edward Fiennes de Clinton.” Royal Collection Trust. 

- Holbein d. J., Hans. “The Family of Thomas More.” KunstMuseum Basel. 

- Holbein the Younger, Hans. “Queen Anne Boleyn.” Royal Collection Trust. 

- Cox, Noel. "Tudor Sumptuary Laws." https://newprairiepress.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1047&context=burgonsociety 

- "Blackwork Embroidery." https://www.goldingcraft.com/blackwork.htm