Embroidery on two banners, one showing the Holy Ghost descending as a dove, the other showing Christ with a chalice, at St Augustine's Church, Kilburn, London NW6. [Click on the images to enlarge them.]
These are not discussed in the 1894 booklet about the church, but are both striking in different ways. The drama, simplicity and shimmer of the descending dove, amid blue and gold, are very effective in the one of the left. Particularly pleasing on the other one are the flowers scattered at Jesus's feet, including a tulip and a very distinct pansy with its little face looking out at us. This banner is also richly presented with red velvet pelmet and hangings, and tassels. One can imagine the women of the parish embroidery workshop taking pleasure in their painstakingly fine and beautiful handiwork, and can see how this kind of embroidery gave scope for self-expression.
Photographs by John Salmon, with thanks to St Augustine's Church; text by Jacqueline Banerjee. You may use the images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit John Salmon and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.
Related Material
Bibliography
J., H. H. S. Augustine's Church, Kilburn. A Short Account of Its Structure, Vestments, and Other Works of Art. London: Morton & Burt, 1894. Hathi Trust. From a copy in the library of Princeton University. Web. 28 April 2021.
Legg, Dr. J. Wickham. "Notes on the History of the Liturgical Colours." Transactions of St Paul's Ecclesiological Society. 1885. 95-134. Google Books. Free Ebook.
Tribe, Shawn. "The Genuine Art of the Processional Banner." Liturgical Arts Journal. 28 March 2019. Web. 29 April 2021.
Created 1 May 2021