Bobbin-lace coverlet, perhaps made for the 1649 wedding of Phillip IV (1605-1655) and Mariana of Austria (1634-1696)
128 x 128 cm
Museum Collection
This lace coverlet celebrating the history of the Habsburg family may have been made for the marriage of King Philip IV of Spain to his niece Mariana of Austria. Philip's membership in the Order of the Golden Fleece is signified by the two rams skins hanging from the outer circle. Also present are the two coats of arms with columns of Hercules, representing King Charles V, ancestor to both bride and groom. Maria's father, the Holy Emperor Ferdinand III (1608-1657). is symbolized by twelve crowned double-headed eagles with black glass beads for eyes. A nearly identical piece that has been in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London since 1880 was considered unique. In 2006, thanks to the support from the Iklé-Frischknecht Foundation, the Textilmuseum St. Gallen was able to acquire this coverlet from a private collection.