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Chasuble

17th century (made), 15th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Chasuble of crimson silk velvet stamped with a pattern of scrolling leaves and flowers. Outlined in woven gold braid, and lined with modern red material.

With orphrey of linen embroidered in silk, floss silk, and gold and silver-gilt thread. Silks in dark and light green, yellow, blue, brown, beige, cream and red. Stem, satin and split stitches, laid and couched work, a little silk cord (crown of thorns), and some details in metal purl and plaited metal thread. Background of gold thread laid and couched with red silk in three different small geometric patterns in the three scenes. Outlined in woven gold braid, and lined with modern red material.

Cross or back orphrey: Foliate decoration above ogee arches over pillars, under which are (reading downwards) God the father and the Holy Family in the form of a Dove; Christ Crucified with six angels, two to the right and two to the left of Christ and two at the foot of the cross, and each angel holds a chalice to receive the Holy Blood except for one; and the figure of St Mary Magdalene with a palm branch in her right hand and book in her left. At the bottom is an incomplete figure of a saint, possibly St Nicholas of Myra.

Front orphrey: Three separate applied figures within borders of woven gold braid to form a pillar orphrey, reading downwards: The Virgin Mary, an unidentified saint, and the Lamb of God. The embroidery and design of these figures are much coarser than those of the back orphery, and not associated with it.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Stamped silk velvet, outlined in woven gold braid, and lined with material, and linen embroidered in silk, floss silk, and gold and silver-gilt thread
Brief description
Chasuble of silk velvet with linen orphrey embroidered in silk, floss silk, and gold and silver-gilt threads, made in Italy and England, 15th century-17th century
Physical description
Chasuble of crimson silk velvet stamped with a pattern of scrolling leaves and flowers. Outlined in woven gold braid, and lined with modern red material.

With orphrey of linen embroidered in silk, floss silk, and gold and silver-gilt thread. Silks in dark and light green, yellow, blue, brown, beige, cream and red. Stem, satin and split stitches, laid and couched work, a little silk cord (crown of thorns), and some details in metal purl and plaited metal thread. Background of gold thread laid and couched with red silk in three different small geometric patterns in the three scenes. Outlined in woven gold braid, and lined with modern red material.

Cross or back orphrey: Foliate decoration above ogee arches over pillars, under which are (reading downwards) God the father and the Holy Family in the form of a Dove; Christ Crucified with six angels, two to the right and two to the left of Christ and two at the foot of the cross, and each angel holds a chalice to receive the Holy Blood except for one; and the figure of St Mary Magdalene with a palm branch in her right hand and book in her left. At the bottom is an incomplete figure of a saint, possibly St Nicholas of Myra.

Front orphrey: Three separate applied figures within borders of woven gold braid to form a pillar orphrey, reading downwards: The Virgin Mary, an unidentified saint, and the Lamb of God. The embroidery and design of these figures are much coarser than those of the back orphery, and not associated with it.
Dimensions
  • Chasuble back, maximum length: 51.5in
  • Chasuble back, maximum length: 131cm
  • Chasuble back, maximum width: 32in
  • Chasuble back, maximum width: 81.5cm
  • Back orphrey, not including braid length: 45.5in
  • Back orphrey, not including braid length: 115.5cm
  • Back orphrey, including braid width: 7.5in
  • Back orphrey, including braid width: 19cm
  • Back cross piece, including braid width: 20in
  • Back cross piece, including braid width: 57cm
  • Back cross piece, including braid length: 7.5in
  • Back cross piece, including braid length: 19cm
  • Chasuble front, maximum length: 43in
  • Chasuble front, maximum length: 109cm
  • Chasuble front, maximum width: 27.5in
  • Chasuble front, maximum width: 70cm
  • Chasuble front, minimum width: 13.5in
  • Chasuble front, minimum width: 33cm
  • Front orphrey length: 39.5in
  • Front orphrey length: 100cm
  • Front orphrey width: 8.5in
  • Front orphrey width: 21.5cm
  • Weight: 1.66kg
Object history
Worn with part T.191A-1984.
Collection
Accession number
T.191-1984

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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