Chasuble

Unknown

1720–30 · Silk and metal thread · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

This tabard-like garment was made for a Roman Catholic priest to wear when leading church services. Although the richly patterned design, combining deep hues of purple, red, green and gold, imitates the effects of an early eighteenth-century European silk of the type called "bizarre", it is actually a mass-made fabric, thick, hardy and originally intended for upholstery. Nonetheless, signs of wear-and-tear, especially around the chest area reveal that it was worn and used, uncomfortable as it must have been.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1720–30

Medium

Silk and metal thread

Culture

Italian

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Gift of Lewis Einstein, 1952