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This webpage links to interesting-looking bedcovers from artwork and from extant examples. I’ve categorized them by the style of decoration on the bedcover.
Some related articles: Embroidered Dreams, Tales from the ‘Coilte,’ and the links on beds, household linens, and quilts.
STRIPES
- Bible historiale (BNF Fr. 160), first quarter of the 14th century, fols.
152v,
259
- Tobit, bible (Bibl. Sainte-Geneviève 15, fol. 201), 13th century
- An interesting patterned stripe on a man and woman in a historiated initial, Livre de leschiele Mahomet' (Laud Misc. 537, fol. 1r), beginning of the 14th century
- The Birth of the Virgin by Giotto, c. 1304-1306
- Herr Hug von Werbenwag, Manesse Codex (UBH Cod. Pal. germ. 848, fol. 252r), c. 1300-1330
- History of the Holy Grail (BNF Fr. 105), first half of the 14th century, fols.
16,
41v,
126,
183v
- Fauvel's wedding, Roman de Fauvel (BNF Fr. 146, fol. 34), c. 1320
- Dotted stripes (?) on a couple in bed, psalter (Douce 6, fol. 160v), c. 1320-1330
- Bible historiale (BNF Fr. 8), c. 1320-1330, fols.
26,
123,
124v,
148v
- Bible historiale (Bibl. St-Geneviève 20), c. 1320-1337, fols. 27v, 186v, and 229v
- Abishag at the bed of old David, Bible Historiale (The Hague, KB, 71 A 23, fol. 164r), c. 1320-40
- Bible historiale (Bibl. St-Geneviève 22), c. 1330, fols. 30, 165v, 184, 223
- Dream of Mordechai, Bible historiale (BNF Fr. 159, fol. 256), 14th-15th centuries
- Birth of Lancelot, History of the Holy Grail (BNF Fr. 117, fol. 1), beginning of the 15th century
- Death of the Virgin, a book of hours (Bibl. Mazarine 469, fol. 77v), c. 1410-1415
- Detail from The Death of Mary, c. 1469-1480
- Lancelot and the Lady of Malehaut, Lancelot du Lac (BNF Fr. 111, fol. 46v), c. 1480
- Silk bed-cover woven in China, 16th-18th century
GRIDS, PLAIDS, CROSSBARS
CHECKED OR PLAID PILLOWCASES (PILLOWBERES)
PATTERNED BEDLINENS
REPEATED MOTIFS
- Meister Heinrich Teschler, Manesse Codex (UBH Cod. Pal. germ. 848, fol. 281v), c. 1300-1330
- The birth and penitence of St. Louis, Grandes Chroniques de France (BNF Fr. 2813, fol. 265), 14th century
- Death of Holofernes, Bible historiale (BNF Fr. 3, fol. 241), beginning of the 15th century
- Death of Solomon, Bible historiale (BNF Fr. 4, fol. 14v), beginning of the 15th century
- David and Abishag, Bible historiale (BNF Fr. 9, fol. 148), beginning of the 15th century
- Lancelot du Lac (BNF Fr. 118), beginning of the 15th century, fol.
199
- Brisane tricks Lancelot, Lancelot du Lac (BNF Fr. 119, fol. 398v), beginning of the 15th century
- A monk provides Extreme Unction to a man in bed, a pontifical (British Library Lansdowne 451, fol. 234), first quarter of the 15th century
- Nativity, a book of hours (Bibl. Ste-Geneviève 1278, fol. 101), c. 1413-1420
- Nativity of the Virgin, Life of Our Lady (British Library Harley 629, fol. 1v), 2nd or 3rd quarter of the 15th century
- The death of Ser Cepparello in the Decameron (BNF Arsenal 5070, fol. 12v), 1432
- Doctor and patient, De proprietatibus rerum (BNF Fr. 135, fol. 223), c. 1445-1450
- The bird Caladrius and a dying man, a bestiary (The Hague, MMW, 10 B 25, fol. 28v) c. 1450
- Pandarus talks to Troilus, Filostrato (Douce 331, fol. 8r), 3rd quarter of the 15th century
- A couple lies in bed, Les Fais et les Dis des Romains et de autres gens (British Library Harley 4373, fol. 88v), c. 1460-1487
- A book of Arthurian stories (BNF Fr. 113), c. 1470, fol.
1v
- A book of Arthurian stories (BNF Fr. 116), c. 1470, fol. 685v
- Le Roman de la Rose (Bodl. Douce 195), late 15th century, fol. 1r
- A book of Arthurian stories (BNF Fr. 111, fol. 116v), c. 1480, fols.
116v,
266v
272
- Birth of St. John the Baptist, Collectaire of the Priory of St. Lo of Rouen (Bibl. Ste-Geneviève 1272, fol. 78v), 15th-16th century
- Birth of the Virgin, Choir Breviary (Laud Misc. 93, fol. 144r), beginning of the 16th century
- Edward the Confessor gives his crown to William the Conqueror, Chronique universelle (Bibl. Ste-Geneviè 523), first quarter of the 16th century
DAMASK
- Guillaume de Digulleville asleep, Pelerinage de l'ame (Bibl. Ste-Geneviève 1130, fol. 89), c. 1367-1400
- Lancelot du Lac (BNF Fr. 118), beginning of the 15th century, fol.
250
- The Death of the Virgin by Hans Multscher, 1437
- The Death of Mary, 1456
- A book of Arthurian stories (BNF Fr. 112(1)), c. 1470, fols.
26v,
226,
244v
- A book of Arthurian stories (BNF Fr. 113), c. 1470, fol.
1
- A book of Arthurian stories (BNF Fr. 114), c. 1470, fols.
321v
- Arthur at Dinadaron, Lancelot du Lac (BNF Fr. 111, fol. 97v), c. 1480
HERALDRY |
