Le parement d’autel de la Comtesse d’Étampes : une broderie réalisée dans le duché d’Athènes ?

• Published in: Cahiers balkaniques (Paris) 2021-12, Vol.48 (48)
• Main Author: Martiniani‑Reber, Marielle
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 14th century; altar cloth; byzantine embroidery; Sens
• ISSN: 0290-7402; 2261-4184
• DOI: 10.4000/ceb.18275

The treasury of the Cathedral of Sens (south of Paris) boasts one of the most important collections of medieval textiles, one of which is the embroidered altar cloth in discussion. This neglected by scholarship until now piece was bequeathed to the cathedral by Jeanne d’Eu (d. 1389), and is known as the altar cloth of the Countess of Etampes. Being a unique artefact, its study can illuminate various unknown aspects on the craft of medieval and perhaps also crusader embroidery.Along its 122 cm of length and 54 cm of height we see scenes of Marian and Christological iconography: the Adoration of the Magi, Jesus’ Presentation, the Flight to Egypt, the Massacre of the Innocents, the Baptism and the Virgin’s Dormition. We can assume that the scenes missing are the Nativity, the Annunciation and perhaps the Visitation too. The cloth’s red silk border used to be adorned with the four apocalyptic beasts, although only the ox, symbolizing Luke, remains. Between the four beasts the coats of arms of the houses of Brienne and Châtillon appear, a detail which allows us to attribute this embroidery of exceptional quality.This paper examines the cloth iconography, with a particular focus on the Byzantine elements and by comparing it with other contemporary embroideries. Essentially, by analyzing and contextualizing this important altar cloth I argue it was made at a workshop in the Duchy of Athens, thus, being one of the very few known crusader embroideries.