Aachen Cathedral Treasury - Part 2: Stole with brickwork

In the previous post, I've done a rough listing of medieval reenactor interesting contents of Aachen Cathedral, now to my first highlight from a 12th C perspective:

Stole
"stole, Germany? c1200. silk? (w 11cm, l 265cm)"
The stole and mantiple, I found about a year ago while looking for belts. The centre section is a lovely typical example of goldwork (underside couching I think) at it's best. But it's the ends that fascinate. Firstly both end with a fringe which passes through beads before hanging as a fringe. Simple, but very effective, and clearly shown in the photos. Secondly, the Stole has an end section of brickstitch. This is the earliest example of the style I've ever seen. It doesn't look like a later addition, and the rest of the piece looks very typical for 1200 (to my untutored eye), so maybe the labelling is correct, and it truly is a very early piece. It doesn't have the devices or non-geometric motifs of later pieces, but the piece is so small that they wouldn't fit easily. The pattern is geometric, but more complex to count out and stitch than it initially appears.

I've graphed it out. On the left is my interpretation of the overall pattern. On the right, I've overlaid it on the original photograph (over the section which sits flattest). I stretched the pattern a little to do so, but did not distort it in any other way. Below is my best guess at where the individual stitches might have been placed. It's based on the layouts of other brickstitch items given in "A Stitch out of Time" since I'm already squinting to see the pattern the colours make. (and I don't have a higher resolution photo). Be sure to click on the image to make it large enough to read. The sharp edges represent how I think the edges were stitched, the soft edges represent places where the pattern continues similarly.


Given the width of 11cm, and my estimate of 4x24=96 stitches we can also estimate stitch density as about 8.7 stitches per cm. I've left a little grid on a section of my pattern, and the squares of this grid would be 8.7stitches/cm or 1.1mm wide squares. I talk about stitch width because stitch length varies. Also the original fabric may not be woven completely evenly in warp and weft, but the embroiderer has compensated well, or it is quite good as there is no apparent elongation of the pattern.

Aachen Cathedral Treasury - Part 1: Catalogue

Bildindex (more properly Marburg Photo Archive) now supports English language. Well sort of - there's still a of of german in there, but less than before. Look for union jack flag to the left to switch languges.

Thanks to a link elsewhere, I was made aware of the awesome stuff in the Aachen Cathedral treasury, so today's topic is a summary of the contents that bildindex has photos of. I'll post about a few of my highlights in subsequent posts.

To look at the photos, select 'places' from the top bar. Now on the left bar, select the following sequence of folders: Aachen > Öffentliche Sammlungen > Domschatz (cathedral)
and within that are subfolders. Below is a listing of what's there (I may have missed a piece of two, but nearly everything). You'll be sure to find something to facinate you.

I've also added links to webpages with colour photos of individual objects. One in particular worth mentioning, for it's high resolution and range is artserv and it's section for the cathedral treasury. (I find it works better under IE than mozilla).

Summary (by subcategory):
>Malerei (paintings)

• Mary and child, Ungarn, before 1367
• falkstein Portable altar, Aachen, 1401/1415,
• Wenzel Portable altar, Prag, 1467/1500
• Aachener Marientafeln, Meister der Aachener Marientafeln, c1485 (many pictures)
• Der Aachener Altar / Passionstriptychon, Meister des Aachener Altars, 1515/1520 (many pictures)

>sculptur (sculpture)

• crucifix, Nideggen, 1060/1070
• statue of Mary, Aachen, c1280 [artserv1], [2], [3], [4]
• statue of Mary and donor, Niederrhein, um 1330 [artserv1], [2], [3]

>Schreine (shrines)

• Felixschrein - 14thC gilded silver & silversheets. (h23cm, l 50cm w22.5cm) . Pictures: mi00007c07a-mi00007c08a, mi03344f10a- mi03344f11a
  
• Karlsschrein (Charlemange shrine)- 1200-1215 Aachen , gilded silver and enamelled copper. Pictures: mi00007c09a-mi00007c14a, mi00007d01a-mi00007d14a, mi00007e01a-mi00007e14a, mi00007f01a-mi00007f14a, mi00007g01a-mi00007g10a, mi03344f12a- mi03344f14a, mi03344g01a- mi03344g04a, mi09141i12a-mi09141i13a, [search for Aachen]
• Marienschrien -1220-1238 Aachen. Oak, gilded silver and enamelled copper. (h 95 cm, w 54 cm, l 184 cm). Pictures: mi00007g11a-mi00007g14a, mi00008a01a-mi00008a14a, mi00008b01a-mi00008b14a, mi00008c01a-mi00008c14a, mi00008d01a-mi00008d14a, mi00008e01a-mi00008e14a, mi03344g05a- mi03344f14a, mi03345a01a- mi03345a05a, mi09141i14a, mi09141j01a-mi09141j04a

Reliquiare (reliquaries)

• Reliquary of Anastasius Byzantine Emporer, 986/1015, [artserv1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]
• Crucifix & reliquary of charlemange, 1101/1200?, gilded silver
• St Simeons reliquiary, Aachen 1330/1340 [artserv1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
• disc Reliquiary for a flabellum (huge eclesiastical fan), Vienna?, c1350 [artserv1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
• Bust figure reliquary of Charlemange 14thC [karl bust], [artserv1], [2], [3], [4]
• crown, Aachen c1349
• crown of Margaretha of York 15thC
• cross relliquary, 14thC
• Charlemagne reliquary, in the shape of a church, Aachen, 1346/1355, Restored: 1978, (lots of detailed photos)
  
• 3 tower reliquary, Aachen, um 1370/1390, Restored 1829, 1978
• ciborium Relliquaries of the belt of Mary, flagellum-cord (or scourging?) of Christ & belt of christ, Prag?, um 1360
  
• reliquary for King Stephen I, Deutschland, after 1370
• ciborium reliquarys, 1386/1400, Köln 1401/1415,
• reliquary with true cross and Agnus Dei, Hans von Reutlingen, 1501/1515 [artserv]
• statue reliquary of Peter, Hans von Reutlingen, 1510
• arm reliquary for Charlemange, Lyon, 1481 [arm reliquary]
  
• monstrance, Hans von Reutlingen, 1520, [artserv1], [2]
• 19th C reliquary of true cross

>sonstiges edelmetall (miscellaneous precious metals)

• goblets 1497-1522, 16th C and 16th-early 17th C.
• paten (plate) c1200, engraved gilded silver. Pictures: MI00010c03a.jpg-MI00010c04a.jpg
  
• 18th C candle sticks
  
• Lothair cross, Western Germany, c1000, with 19th & 20th C "restorations" [scroll down, 1st pic], [artserv1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15]
• "Breast cross of charlemange", 1101-1200, restoration 1871, (h 8.5cm) Pictures: MI00010e04a.jpg
• dove staff?, 1201/1300 Pictures: MI03345e01a.jpg
• eagle topped staff 15th C [artserv1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
• clasp for a cope, c1180, reworked 1870, gilded silver (19x16cm). Pictures: MI00010e06a.jpg [artserv1], [2]
• various very decorative (good closeups) clasps for copes, dated: 1371-1381, 1376-1400, 1401-1415, before 1520, 14thC, 14th C [artserv-16thC]
• box for a crown (relquary?) England, 1475
• beaker& case of the holy Elizabeth 15-16thC
• carrying cross, Western Germany, 1146/1155, bronze & wood, hollowcast & gilded. Picture: MI00010f11a.jpg
  
• coat of arms, Ungarn, 1371/1381
• seal, Ungarn, 1528
• Aquamanile in the form of a Bust, Aachen?, 1201/1215, bronze, hollowcast & gilded. (h 18.3cm). Pictures: MI09141j11a.jpg-MI09141j12a.jpg, mi03345f13a.jpg-mi03345f14a.jpg,MI00010g02a.jpg, MI00010f12a.jpg-MI00010f14a.jpg, MI00010g01a.jpg-
• bookcover of the schatzkammer bible, Westdeutschland, um 1020 [artserv1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]
• 19th C bishop's staff, 20th C pectoral pendant, 18th C waferbox?

>Elfenbein (ivory)

• 9th, 10th & 14thC carved panels [artserv- 10th C], [2]
• bucket c1000 [artserv1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12],
• carved book decoration, Maas c1100. Pictures: MI03345g12a.jpg, mi04801g02 [artserv1], [2], [3], [4]
  
• "hunting horn of Charlemagne" Unteritalien c1000, with shoulder strap (woven? with inscription made by belt mounts?) Lüttich, 1386/1400 [artserv-horn], [artserv-strap]

>textilen (textiles)

• Many 6thC silk fragments, Antinoe, byzantium, Alexandria, sasanid, East Rome, Persia
• more fragments, mostly silk: 7-8th C Persian, 8-9th C Persian, 8-9th C sasanid, 9thC? islamic or byzantine, 10-11th C byzantine
  
• 10thC byzantine elephant patterned fabric from the "Karlsschrein"
• sicilian-arabic silk from the "Karlsschrein" c1200
  
• "bernhardskastel" (Bernhardt's Cope) 1160-70. Probably beaded. Pictures: MI00011b05a.jpg-MI00011b06a.jpg [artserv1], [2]
• stole & mantiple, Deutschland? c1200. silk? (w 11cm, l 265cm)Picture: MI00011b07a.jpg
• 13th C silk cope Picture: MI00011b08a.jpg
• 13th or 14thC Pluviale /cope (beadwork?) Picture:MI00011b09a.jpg-MI00011b011b.jpg [artserv1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
• 15th C Damatic
• 15thC chausible
• 15thC picture
• 16thC stole
• 16thC heavily embroidered cope (lots of closeups)
  
• annother 16thC cope
• clothing of the "gnadenbildes" 1627
• several 17-18thC vestments
  

>handschrifte (manuscripts)

• "Schatzkammer Bible" start of 9thC
• "Silver book cover of the Otto Bible" c1020
• Liutuar or Otto Bible, Reichenau c990 (very well illustrated) [artserv1], [2]

>sonstiges (other/miscellaneous)

• "so called knife of charlemange" (in sheaf), England 700-1100 or maybe 10-11thC. Pictures: mi00011g14a, mi03346a08a [artserv]
• "so called armorial case of Richard von Cornwallis" Limoges, 1246/1255, Cedar (red stained), Copper & enamel, studded? & gilded. (h 38.5 cm, w 40 cm, l 79 cm). Pictures: mi00011g03a-mi00011g07a, mi03346a09a-mi03346a12 [scroll down, 2nd pic]

There is one major item that doen't appear on bildindex but does on artserv:

• Book cover, metalwork upper Rhine area, c1170-80 with 10th C byzantine ivory plaques [artserv1], [2], [3], [4], [5]

I've also updated my German glossary post , with many of the new terms I've had to translate for the above.

[edit: more posts about the Aachen Cathedral treasury]