Chasuble Back

Unknown

mid-15th century · Silk · Robert Lehman Collection

Six fragments of red silk cut voided velvet, skillfully joined to match the pattern and repeat, were used to make this chasuble (a liturgical garment used in the celebration of the Mass) back, which has been cut down to a nearly rectangular shape. The velvet is patterned in an allover vertical repeat of a symmetrically placed five-lobed shape filled with a stylized plant reminiscent of a pomegranate with five buds projecting into the lobes. Echoing the upper outlines of the lobed shapes are branches with curling leaves and smaller plant devices resembling pineapples.

Artist

Unknown

Date

mid-15th century

Medium

Silk

Culture

Italian

Department

Robert Lehman Collection

Credit line

Robert Lehman Collection, 1975