Chasuble (1700s): Art, History and Details

Chasuble (1700s) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

A beautiful design emanates from a vase in the center of this chasuble, displaying symmetrical flora that extend across embroidered gold braids into graceful curvilinear cartouches, reflecting contemporary architectural decoration. Also in the center, sheaves of wheat and grapes represent the bread and wine of the Mass. Gold sequins within thread-outlined squares illustrate fine quality workmanship. The decoration of the stole and chalice veil is similar to the chasuble, also on moiré (watered) silk fabric. The stole, an insignia of the office of deacons and priests, is worn under a chasuble, and the chalice veil—bearing the monogram of Jesus Christ, ihs, in the center—covers the chalice and paten (the plate holding the Eucharistic bread).

Object facts

• Title: Chasuble
• Date: 1700s
• Culture: Italy
• Type: Textile
• Technique: Silk and metallic threads; embroidery
• Dimensions: Overall: 114.6 x 70.5 cm (45 1/8 x 27 3/4 in.)
• Collection: T - Ecclesiastical
• Department: Textiles
• Accession number: 1916.1453

Collection credit

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade

Further reading listed by the museum

• Mackie, Louise W. "Opulent Fashion in the Church: A celebration of Jeptha H. Wade II's magnificent textile donations.” Cleveland Art: Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine 57, no. 1 (January/February 2017): 8-9.

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.