Catholic Pillow - Madonna and Child

This exquisite piece is one of the Loreto Embroideries, a series of breathtaking embroideries from the early 1900s. This is perhaps our favourite of the collection, though they are all beautiful. The original drawings, based on the Litany of Loreto, are likely to be the work of Ezio Anichini, an Italian artist who did much Catholic work. It is not known who did the stitching. They were a gift to an elderly nun, who sent them to the SHCJ Mayfield Convent in Surrey, England, for safekeeping during World War II. They are now held by the Royal School of Needlework in London, regarded as masterpieces of beauty, design, and execution. (Source: CorneliaConnellyLibrary.org) Original worked mostly in long and short stitch on a rich cream satin background in shades of beige, fawn, and brown silks, as well as white, warmed and enriched with gold threads.