17th Century Needlework Christ Mocked Circa 1640 Charles I Period

A fabulously small or miniature 17th century needlework panel framed in a later naive painted frame. This original 1640s, Carolean, Charles 1 era English needlework depicts a scene from the Passion of Christ, named Christ Crowned With Thorns, or sometimes also referred to as Christ Mocked. This scene has of course been painted throughout antiquity by many artists including Juan de Flandes C 1505 whose oil painting is now held at The Detroit Institute Of Arts, Hierronymus Bosch in 1510, and Titian in the year 1542 to name but a few.

It is fairly scarce to find this scene in needlework from this period, let alone in this small scale. However, we have found an example with this same theme of The Passion held by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London Museum no. CIRC.402-1911

Our small, ancient needlework is worked in tent stitch using silk and metal thread. The silver file thread is profusely used for the background. This silver thread is in lovely condition and still shines beautifully. Using a background of silver metal threadwork was popular during the 17th century, see The Feller Collection part 1, page 63 and page 116 for a needlework panel and sweet bag worked in this thread. Also a silver ground needlework panel can be viewed at the MFA, Boston, ACCESSION NUMBER 50.801.

The detail is quite remarkable for such a small panel. Varying types of metal thread, both smooth and rough purl have been used to great effect to depict Christ's hair and the Crown of Thorns. How do such treasures survive nearly 400 years??

This is the scene leading up to the Crucifixion. Christ sits with a blue cushion on his lap that held the Crown before it was placed on his head. The woven Crown of thorns was one of the instruments of The Passion that were inflicted on Jesus by his captors to both belittle him, and cause significant pain. To his left dressed in green is a Roman soldier, others tormentors surround him jabbing at him with their spears.

Housed behind old bubbled glass in a very deep antique green painted pine frame which suits this piece well. This small 400 year old textile treasure is ready to display.

Size: Frame 8 3/4 inch (22 cm ) by 8 1/4 inch (21 cm) by 1 3/4 inch (4.5 cm), visible needlework approx 4 3/4 inch (12 cm) by 4 1/4 inch ( 10.5 cm)

Condition: Unopened and not examined out of its frame. The old painted pine frame has some signs of wear, rubbing to the dry patina of the green paint. The needlework panel is in good condition with very minor fading to the green thread and some rippling/undulation.

ITEM ID:13198A