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Unknown
Chasuble
Theme: Patrons/Lifestyle
1575-1599
Italian
Golden-brown voided silk with small pattern in cut and uncut pile, green silk orphrey band in small patterned design
Purchase: Rev. and Mrs. Van S. Merle-Smith, Jr. Endowment Fund (2003.13)
 
A chasuble is a type of religious costume or vestments worn by priests during ceremonies such as the celebration of Mass. The chasuble is perhaps the most well known vestment, covering all the other parts of the costume worn by priests. It is thought that the chasuble is an adaptation of the clothes commonly worn throughout the Roman Empire in the early days of Christianity. Still used today, the chasuble is still referred to by priests as the "yoke of Christ" in prayer as they dress for Mass.

This Italian Renaissance chasuble was made of silk woven into voided velvet, meaning the soft velvet pile forms the pattern and the portion of cloth containing no pile serves as the background. Compare the orphrey band, the vertical green band running through the center of this chasuble, to the Orphrey Band from Spain in the Renaissance Connection.


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