Gloves of Emperor Frederick II

Background

The Insignia of the Holy Roman Empire is a set of various items of clothing collected and made over a period of many years that were used by various Emperors of the empire. The robes and other items were often used only on state occasions such as coronations.

These gloves were made in the early 13th century for the coronation of Emperor Frederick II. As with many of the other sumptuous garments that make up the Insignia of the Holy Roman Empire, the gloves were made in the Royal Workshops of Sicily. These gloves were worn by the Emperor at his coronation in 1220.

Stitches and Techniques

• underside couching
• applied pearls, emeralds, rubies, sapphires and enamelled plaques
• surface couching

Design and Materials

Materials included red silk, gold wire embroidery, pearls, saphires, rubies, enamelled plaques. The palms of the gloves are worked in the design of single-headed eagle, using gold thread, underside couching.

Links

• Images of Gloves at the Rubens Art Server
• Exhibition of the Secular Treasury at Kunsthistorisches Museum

Sources for Further Information

• Schuette, Marie and Muller-Christensen, Sigrid, The Art of Embroidery, (London: Thames and Hudson, 1964)

Detail of Glove

Images kindly provided by Prof Michael Greenhalgh

Detail of palm of glove

Images kindly provided by Prof Michael Greenhalgh