Royalist Hagiography circa 1660

A petit point panel with raised work and embellishments. Size 25 * 33 centimetres visible in the frame. 10 stitch worked at circa 35 stitches to the inch and embellished with seed pearls, a silver ribbon bow to the Queen’s bodice and mica in the palace windows. There some additional raised work on the King’s costume crown and sceptre. Framed and lazed in a later frame with tortoiseshell on lays some defects.

The scene depicts King Charles I exercising the judgement of Solomon. Top left and right are buildings that at the right is a palace with pennants flying from the towers and glazed windows. The king sits on a canopy throne with his crown and sceptre. To his left stands Henrietta Maria in a blue dress and to his right is a standing figure holding a child by the ankle with a sword held upright in his other hand. Lower right is a woman kneeling in supplication in the centre foreground is a child lying in an open grave and on the left is a pool with fish. The landscape is filled with common emblematic icons apparent lilies and a ladybird. The parrot commonly represents the Virgin Mary in the 17th century and the ladybird good fortune and new beginnings.

Work of this quality probably emanated from the court or its environments. Petty point was popularised first in the French court and spread to England throughout the influence of Charles his wife Henrietta Maria who was the daughter of Louis XIII. Charles II’s own time in France during the Commonwealth and his mother’s continued presence in London post 1660 were additional influences.

An embroidered panel with the figures a mirror image of this piece was sold by Bonhams 13th of March 2019, lot 264.

Provenance: A typed label on the back of the frame states Mrs M Taylor, Killingworth, Locust Valley, Long Island and in ink Oak Room. Myron Charles Taylor (1874 – 1959) was an American industrialist and later a diplomat. He spent some years as US representative in the Vatican.