Embroidery
Margaret Hall
Category
Frames
Date
1668
Materials
glass, textile, damask, mahogany
Measurements
775 x 625 mm
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Cotehele, Cornwall
NT 348267
Summary
Shaped frame of raised work depicting ladies, animals, plants and flowers, containing a bevelled mirror. According to an article by Christopher Hussey (Country Life, 1924), the back of the frame is signed and dated 'Margaret Hall, 1668'. Since then, the mirror has been conserved and placed in a glazed mahogany case with Damask backing, and the signature is now obscured. Amanda Pullan, Ph.D. Candidate at Lancaster University, wrote on 11 December 2014: 'It is difficult to see the details with enough precision to be sure, but 348267 appears to be representations of the Cardinal Virtues, with Prudence holding the serpent at the top, Justice at the bottom, with the faint outline of the scales, and Fortitude and Temperance at the sides although the applique details are missing so it is hard to tell which is which. The designs for the Virtues followed the iconography of the continental artist Maarten de Vos and were popularized through Crispin Van de Passe's engravings. For 348360, the details are difficult to discern, but it seems like this mirror depicts another popular subject in domestic needlework of this genre, The Five Senses. The iconography was also derived from continental woodcuts. On this one, as was generally the case for mirrors depicting The Five Senses, the figure of Hearing is presented at the top.'
Marks and inscriptions
Back of frame: Margaret Hall 1668
Makers and roles
Margaret Hall, maker