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| Photo: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin - Preußischer Kulturbesitz |
The mitre in question made from a silk damask. Now that damask now looks rather more orange in shade, but this is simply due to colour fading for in point of fact it was originally a red silk damask background. In that regard, had we seen it in its heyday, it may well have looked a bit more like this:
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| (Digitally enhanced photograph) |
As medieval mitres so often do, the mitre depicts a figurative scene, in this case showing us on the front a scene of the Annunciation, while on the back (see above) we find an image of the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. So here again, consistent with the medieval period, Marian themes reign supreme.
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| The Annunciation found on the front of the mitre |
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| The Coronation of the Virgin found on the back of the mitre |
Also found within the design of the mitre are popular medieval zoomorphic figures, including lions and griffins. We can also find local flora and fauna, coming in the form of oak leaves and acorns, on the lappets of the mitre.
It is worth pointing out that the figures are mainly comprised of beadwork, specifically, very small pearls, while the metallic halos are made from gilt silver foil.
All said, it is a beautiful example of late medieval liturgical art, showing us the medieval tastes for Marian symbolism and imagery.
The mitre is now housed in the collection of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Berlin.
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