{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O363743"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O363743/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EU1945/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EU1945/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011EU1945","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O363743/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O363743","accessionNumber":"109-1884","objectType":"Cover","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Coverlet composed of 24 squares of darning on square mesh net (‘lacis’ or ‘punto de maglia’). The 12 squares down the centre contain groups or figures representing the months of the year. At each of the four diagonally opposite corners of the coverlet is the head of a man (helmeted) or a woman within a wreath. The squares or ‘lacis’ are divided one from the other, and the coverlet is surrounded by borders of linen with repeated geometric ornamental cuts in the linen, and with strips of insertions of needle lace (‘reticella’). An edging of needlepoint lace and four tassels are applied to the outer border.\n\nSome of the figures portrayed here are from one of the most popular literary works of sixteenth century Europe. The panels inscribed ‘Sempronio’ and ’Melibea Celestina’ represent scenes from The Tragicomedy of Calisto and Melibea (<i>Comedia o Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea</i>), known in Spain as La Celestina. It is a prose composition in twenty-one acts that lies in the foundations of the history of the Spanish theatre. The first act, which is much the longest, was probably written by Rodrigo Cota, of Toledo, and in that case we may safely assume that it was produced about 1480. Fernando de Rojas (born in the province of Toledo around 1473-6, died in 1541), whose name appears in acrostic form in verses prefixed to the published text, explains he is merely completing a story about two lovers which he had come across. The first edition of this hybrid work was published at Burgos in 1499, with the title Comedia de Calisto y Melibea. It was divided into 16 acts. A few years later, Rojas expanded his addition, adding 5 extra acts. The earliest surviving copy of this edition dates to 1507, published at Zaragoza (it is unique, and survives incomplete). \r\nThe story, that opens in the environs of a city which is not named, tells of a bachelor, Calisto, passionately and obsessively in love with Melibea, an unmarried girl kept in seclusion by her parents. Sempronio is Calisto's, a confidential servant, and is a character of the same qualities that Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra gave to his Sancho Panza in 1605, Sempronio, understanding the cause of his master’s trouble, advises Calisto to apply to an old woman, with whom the unprincipled valet is secretly in league, and who is half a pretender to witchcraft and half a dealer in love philters. This personage is Celestina. She boldly promises Calisto that he shall obtain possession of Melibea, and from that moment secures to herself a complete control over him, and over all who are about him. Celestina brings the lovers together but is murdered by Calisto's servants when she refuses to share the payment she receives for her services. Calisto spends a passionate night with Melibea in her garden, but as he leaves her he falls from the garden wall and dies. Melibea, in despair, throws herself to her death as well.\r\nThe work was immensely popular as soon as it was published, and readers soon came refer to it simply as Celestina or La Celestina, after the greedy and corrupt old woman who arranges for the lovers to meet. The name Celestina has, over time, become synonymous with \"procuress\" in Spanish, especially an older woman used to further an illicit affair, and is a literary archetype of this character, the masculine counterpart being Pandarus.\r\n","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2011EU1945"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"013","id":"THES311432"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Cover","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Portugal","id":"x29941"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1615","earliest":"1610-01-01","latest":"1619-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased from H. Enthoven, 2 Hanover Square (London), for £35","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"200","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"Approximately"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"140","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"Approximately"}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Portuguese, circa 1615; lacis and cutwork","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Santina Levy, <i>Lace: a history</i>, 1983, Pl. 95"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Florence Lewis May, <i>Hispanic Lace and Lace Making</i>, New York, 1939"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"George Ticknor, <i>History of Spanish Literature</i>, Vol I, New York, 1849, p. 235"}],"production":"A very similar piece, dated 1615, is in the collection of the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (MNAA) in Lisbon (inventory number 3751). ","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["109-1884"],"accessionNumberNum":"109","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1884,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-18","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}