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Italian Mitre, 16th Century

Extensively decorated mitre, probably from Italy, dated c. 1500-1550 Extensively decorated mitre, probably from Italy, dated c. 1500-1550 Copyright Victoria and Albert Museum, acc. no. 219-1887.

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London houses an exquisitely decorated mitre that (most probably) derives from Italy and was made in the first half of the sixteenth century. It is decorated with gold and silk thread using chain stitch, long and short stitch, and satin stitch. The mitre is made of silk satin with linen lining and paper stiffening.

Apart from the hands holding palm leaves, all the decorative motifs on the mitre are secular. The mitre allegedly belonged to Cardinal Matteo Palmieri, who was the Archbishop of Acerenza and Matera from 1518, when he was only 25 years old.

V&A online catalogue (retrieved 12 March 2017).

WV

Last modified on Sunday, 12 March 2017 14:50