Table cloth with the four parts of the world and the four elements

This item comes from the large collection of fabrics, embroideries and lace was amassed by the Museum from its very early years. It is attributed to the Milan-born Caterina Cantoni (c.1540-1615), who worked at the Habsburg Court, and at the courts of the Savoys and of the royal family in Spain. She was famous in her time for her great skill in needlework with no reverse. The embroidery is indeed identical and perfectly finished on both sides of the table cloth. The floral decoration runs all the way round and the cloth is embroidered with silk yarn in various colours: pink, violet, green, sky blue, dark blue, ecru, and yellow, as well as gold thread. On two bands along the short sides there are depictions of the four elements – fire, water, earth, and air – and personifications of the four continents separated by either a dragon or a cornucopia. The models for the personifications are taken from engravings by Adriaen Collaert, after drawings by Maarten de Vos dating to around 1587-1589.