Chasuble Front
CultureVenetian
Dateearly 15th century
MediumVelvet and silk
DimensionsOverall: 42 1/4 × 25 inches (107.32 × 63.5 cm)
Credit LinePurchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust
Object number31-108/1
On View
Not on viewCollections
DescriptionFive-color silk pile on a ground originally of silver-gilt thread and yellow (?) silk. The metal thread is gone, and the ground silk has darkened.Exhibition HistoryThreads of Gold: Brocades and Embroideries for the Church, Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, July 2-September 1, 1985, no. 2.
This is the front section of a chasuble, a long sleeveless vestment worn by priests during services. The richly woven fabric is decorated with foliage, flowers, animals and elaborate ornamentation, probably derived from Islamic models. The red, green, blue, white, and black color scheme of the chasuble is known as a five-color damask. The top row depicts back to back roebucks, a European and Asiatic deer, which recline under trees. This design motif alternates with a row depicting fountains that sprout floral vegetation and are flanked by green and blue peacocks.
Threads of Gold: Brocades and Embroideries for the Church , exh. cat. (Lawrence, KS: Spencer Museum of Art, 1985), unpaginated.
Information about a particular artwork or image, including provenance information,
is based upon historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete.
Research on artwork and images is an ongoing process, and the information about a
particular artwork or image may not reflect the most current information available to the Museum.
If you notice a mistake or have additional information about a particular artwork or image,
please e-mail provenance@nelson-atkins.org.
