{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O138539"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O138539/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PN7638/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PN7638/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2026PN7638","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PN8271","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BP6227","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM7145","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O138539/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O138539","accessionNumber":"T.33Y-1955","objectType":"Fragment","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This fragment of an embroidered panel depicts a wading bird. It is part of a collection of needlework known as the Oxburgh hangings.  They were made between 1570 and about 1585, the work of Mary Queen of Scots during her imprisonment in England and Elizabeth (Bess) Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury.  Bess’s husband George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury was responsible for Mary and she stayed at one or other of the Shrewsbury estates.   \r\n\r\nEmbroidery was a form of therapy and communication for Mary, as well as a conventional occupation for wealthy and elite women.  Most of the motifs depicted were copied from the wood-cut illustrations of emblem books and natural histories by well-known authors such as Claud Paradin, Conrad Gessner, Pierre Belon.  This example of a 'dowker' is copied from a book about birds, Conrad Gessner, Icones Avium Omnium, published in Zurich, 1560.\r\n\r\nThis panel of canvas work (stitching over the threads of a coarsely woven linen) is embroidered in coloured silks.  Those executed by Mary bear her monogram, the letters MA superimposed on the Greek letter phi and those by Bess, the initials ES.   Not all the panels were embroidered by Mary and Bess, as household accounts show that both had professional embroiderers on staff.   The existing ‘hangings’ consist of a of wall hanging, two bed curtains and valance, on permanent long-term loan at Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk.  However these were probably not the original arrangement of the embroidery, but sewn together in the late 17th century.  This group of 33 embroideries are the remains of another hanging, now unpicked.","physicalDescription":"Irregular textile fragment of embroidered linen canvas with silks. Embroidered in blue, green, yellow and brown silks. Depicts a wading bird.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Mary Queen of Scots","id":"A1708"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":"possibly"},{"name":{"text":"Elizabeth Talbot","id":"A8846"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":"possibly"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"linen (material)","id":"AAT14069"},{"text":"silk thread","id":"x30127"}],"techniques":[{"text":"hand embroidery","id":"x30339"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Embroidered linen canvas with silks","categories":[{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Embroidery","id":"THES48960"},{"text":"Royalty","id":"THES48899"},{"text":"Scotland","id":"THES262877"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2026PN7638","2026PN8271","2007BP6227","2006AM7145"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"57A","id":"THES49240"},"free":"","case":"CA5","shelf":"","box":"27"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Panel","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1570-1585","earliest":"1570-01-01","latest":"1585-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Presented by Art Fund","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"26.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"26","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"A DOWKER","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Embroidered"}],"objectHistory":"Figure of a wading bird copied from Conrad Gesner, Icones Avium Omnium, Zurich, 1560, p.88. The Oxburgh Hangings. Hanging with applied panels of embroidery, formerly at Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Irregular textile fragment of embroidered linen canvas with silks, possibly made by Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth Talbot, England, 1570-1585","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"bird","id":"x35043"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["T.33Y-1955"],"accessionNumberNum":"33","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1955,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LV4958"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-10","recordCreationDate":"2007-08-16","availableToBook":false}}