Details

Object type

valance

Place Associated

England (place of manufacture)

Date

1532-1536

Materials

silk, linen

Dimensions

overall: 375 mm x 2690 mm

Description

Valance, one of a set (with 29.178.b), in light cream silk taffeta with black cut pile silk velvet appliqué motifs embroidered in red (now faded to pink) silk threads worked in slip stitch, French knots and seeding stitches in a brick pattern and couching in an arabesque design including the cypher 'HA' for Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn with acorns and honeysuckles repeated seven times. Decorated with a black, red (now faded to pink) and light cream fringe with chequerboad header applied along the lower edge. Double linen canvas backing.

This valance and its pair are rare examples of Tudor arabesque embroidery. The cipher HA is for Henry VIII (1491–1547) of England and his second wife, Anne Boleyn (circa 1500–36). The acorns are symbol of royalty, specifically here for Henry VIII, and the eglantine was a symbol used by Anne Boleyn.

Several domestic items in the Royal Household are known to have been decorated with honeysuckles, one of Anne Boleyn's motifs with several listed in The Inventories & Valuations of the King's Goods 1649–51, including: ‘[47] Itm One Carpett of gould silver and silke needleworke with roses of redd and white and Queene Anne Bulloigne her Cipher with bordrs about the same of Hunnysuckles & Acrons HA of like needleworke fringed at both sides with a narrow fringe of like gould silver and silke and lyned with greene Damaske Cont. […] [63] Itm One Cushion of Needleworke on both sides with silke & gould the side with a Traile of HA of Venice gould and Venice silver honysuckles and Acrons of silke and on the other side 3 roses white and red with Queene Annes Cipher and word of gould & silver with silke fringed with a narrow fringe of Venice gould and silver being in length iij qrs d of a yard and hälfe a yard 1 naile in breadth.'

Traditionally the valances were said to have been associated with a visit of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn to Kimberley Hall, Norfolk, in 1535. However, the Royal couple never visited Norfolk together, and while Anne was born at Blickling, Norfolk, she never returned to the county. The only Royal Progress Henry VIII took with Anne was in 1535 to Bristol and the West Country, returning via Wulfhall, the home of the Seymour family. It is more likely that the valances were given as a prerequisite gift by Anne Boleyn to her cousin, Margaret Shelton, the daughter of Sir John Shelton (1476/7–1539) and Anne Boleyn (1475–1555), the aunt and possible namesake of Queen Anne. Anne Shelton was in charge of Princess Mary's household at Hatfield, and her daughters, Margaret and Mary, both served in the queen's household. Margaret later married Thomas Wodehouse of Kimberley in about 1541.

Sir William Burrell displayed this valance on a tester bed, which is also in the Burrell Collection (14.228), in Dressing Room No.1 at Hutton Castle, Berwickshire.

See also Burrell Blog – 'My Favourite Object'.

Provenance: Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn; probably given to Margaret Shelton, who married Thomas Wodehouse of Kimberley, circa 1541; by descent through the Wodehouse family of Kimberley Hall, Norfolk; Acton Surgey Ltd, London; from whom purchased by Sir William Burrell on 20 June 1933 for £300.

Credit Line/Donor

Gifted by Sir William and Lady Burrell to the City of Glasgow, 1944

Collection

Burrell Collection: British Embroideries

ID Number

29.178.a

Location

In storage