This exhibition explored a selection of the most outstanding examples of English medieval embroidery. Featuring surviving examples of exquisite craftsmanship, it revealed the artistic skill of the makers and the world in which they were created.
Find out more about this stunning exhibition of English medieval embroidery – the first in over half a century
Discover how the fabric of this English medieval embroidery has been altered, ensuring its survival over centuries
See the traditional embroidery techniques used to create masterpieces of opus anglicanum
Take a closer look at the elaborate iconography of the Butler-Bowdon Cope
Explore the beautiful imagery of the Syon Cope, embroidered in coloured silk and silver threads
Contemporary embroidery artist James Merry takes a closer look at surviving masterpieces of English medieval embroidery
Explore the richly-worked imagery and intricate design of the Tree of Jesse Cope
Do you know your cope from your chasuble, your split stitch from your satin stitch?
Peering out from the stitched designs of English medieval embroideries are lifelike animals, alongside fantastical creatures drawn from mythology and the imagination.
Christmas imagery appears throughout medieval art and particularly on richly-worked and intricate English medieval embroidered textiles, known as opus anglicanum
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Support generously provided by The Ruddock Foundation for the Arts