Lord Chancellor's Burse (Purse) with Royal Cypher and Coat of Arms of George III

1760–1801
Overall: 78 x 50 x 5 cm (30 11/16 x 19 11/16 x 1 15/16 in.)
Weight: 2.2 kg (4.85 lbs.)
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location: not on view

Download, Print and Share

Description

A richly decorated burse (purse) to hold the monarch's Great Seal of the Realm has a traditional role in the opening of parliament. The safekeeping of the seal was the responsibility of the Keeper of the Great Seal, an office later incorporated into the role of Lord Chancellor. Because the Great Seal was attached to all major documents of state, it was the ultimate symbol of royal authority. The use of a special burse to hold the seal can be traced back to the end of the 13th century. By the end of the 16th century, the burse had evolved into the highly decorated, professional work of embroidery seen in this object. It includes the lion and unicorn surrounding the royal crest and is made from crimson velvet. Burses were replaced annually; it being a "perk" of office that the Lord Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal was allowed to keep the fragments of the old seal and accompanying burse. Portraits of Lord Chancellors, from the Tudor period onward, depict them with their burse. Cleveland’s collection includes one such portrait by American artist Gilbert Stuart (1755–1828) of Irish Lord Chancellor John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare (1748–1802) who was Lord Chancellor from 1789 to 1802. Baron FitzGibbon’s portrait (1919.910) is on view in gallery 204.
Lord Chancellor's Burse (Purse) with Royal Cypher and Coat of Arms of George III

Lord Chancellor's Burse (Purse) with Royal Cypher and Coat of Arms of George III

1760–1801

England, 18th century

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.