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ATTRIBUTED TO BRITISH SCHOOL, 16TH CENTURY

Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536)

c.1550-99

RCIN 404746

Catherine of Aragon was a talented embroiderer and continued to make shirts for her husband, Henry VIII, during his divorce proceedings against her. Here Catherine’s white linen shift is decorated with blackwork, a style of embroidery believed to have its origins in the geometric Moorish designs found in Spain. The popularisation of both blackwork in England and the so-called Spanish farthingale, a stiffened cone-shaped underskirt, are often credited to the arrival of the Spanish queen and her entourage.

    The income from your ticket contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The aims of The Royal Collection Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational activities.