Jupon of the Black Prince

Replicas, made in the 1950's, of the armorial achievements of the Black Prince, including his jupon. Replicas, made in the 1950's, of the armorial achievements of the Black Prince, including his jupon. The original has the acc. no. 01107, Canterbury Cathedral.

The jupon (or surcoat) of the Black Prince (Edward of Woodstock, 1330-1376; the eldest son of King Edward III of England and the victorious English leader at Crécy and Poitiers in the Hundred Year War) has for centuries been part of his 'armorial achievements' and was hanging above his effigy and tester at his tomb, behind the choir of Canterbury Cathedral.

It has recently been restored and conserved and was on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum from the autumn of 2016 (see exhibition). Conservation work showed that the jupon had actually been worn by the prince during his life time. It measures 86 (height) x 100 cm (width).

The jupon was already conserved to some degree in the 1950's by the Royal School of Needlework, but additional measures were urgently needed in order to preserve the garment for posterity. The jupon is made of a thick linen, covered with wool padding. Onto this were added velvet panels in alternating red and blue. The decoration includes applied fleurs-de-lys embroidered with gilt thread (symbolising France) applied to the blue panels, and applied heraldic lions, also worked in gilt thread (symbolising England), applied to the red panels. The jupon is closed with lacing passed though eyelets in the front. The jupon appears to have been half-sleeved; the efficy of the Black Prince shows him wearing a sleeveless garment.

Such surcoats were worn on top of metal armour. They were meant for display.

Source: BROWNE, Clare, Glyn DAVIES, and M.A. MICHAEL (2016). English Medieval Embroidery: Opus Anglicanum, exhibition catalogue, London, Victoria and Albert Museum. London, Catalogue no. 65 (pp. 241-243)

See also the entry on the herald's tabard worn in May 1647 at the funeral of Prins Frederik Hendrik, stadhouder of the Netherlands.

Sources:

  • ARNOLD, Janet (1993). 'The jupon or coat-armour of the Black Prince in Canterbury Cathedral', Church Monuments, Vol. VIII, pp. 12-24.
  • BROWNE, Clare, Glyn DAVIES, and M.A. MICHAEL (2016). English Medieval Embroidery: Opus Anglicanum, exhibition catalogue, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, Catalogue no. 65 pp. 241-243.
  • NEWTON, Stella (1999). Fashion in the Age of the Black Prince: A Study of the Years 1340-1365, London: Boydell Press.

Digital source (retrieved 31 July 2016).

Digital source of illustration (retrieved 31 July 2016).

See also the TRC blog for 29/29 July 2016.

WV

Last modified on Friday, 03 March 2017 13:37