Saint Martin and Saint Hilary

Art Historical Context

This exquisite embroidered roundel, *Saint Martin and Saint Hilary hails from Flanders around 1430–35, a golden age for Northern Renaissance textiles. Crafted by an unknown artist, it depicts two revered male saints—likely Martin of Tours, patron of soldiers and the poor, and Hilary of Po, a champion against heresy—rendered in a compact 6½-inch diameter. As part of the ecclesiastical textiles in the Met's Robert Lehman Collection, it would have adorned liturgical vestments or altar furnishings, evoking devotion during Mass. The artwork's brilliance lies in its sophisticated mixed-media construction: a linen plain-weave base doubled for support, richly embroidered with silk and gilt-metal-strip-wrapped silk threads. Techniques like satin, split, and stem stitches create fine details, while laid work, couching, and or nué—a luxurious gold-on-silk method—produce shimmering effects that mimic illuminated manuscripts. This opulent embroidery reflects Flemish mastery, where gold threads symbolized divine light, making sacred figures glow ethereally. In 15th-century Flanders, such pieces underscored the era's piety and technical innovation, bridging painting and textile arts. Today, it offers a tactile glimpse into medieval worship, reminding us how everyday fabrics became portals to the holy.