Back of a chasuble

Back of a Chasuble
for Lent or Mourning

Italy and Flanders or Germany
Silk velvet
embroidered with polychromous silk
and metallic thread
H. 64.5 cm
Formerly  part of Bernheimer, Munich coll.
Gift of the ARMMA
Cl. 23660

On a beautiful indigo velvet with a "ferronnerie" pattern highlighted with pomegranates, the crucifix is embroidered, in deep relief, with multicoloured silk and gold thread in the cross itself and silver thread for the very expressionist body on the cross. The cross is composed of two bands of braid. Christ's hair and his beard are made of very bright yellow and green silk. The perizonium, or loin-cloth, is in very spectacula agitated relief, which reveals a germanic inspiration of a later date. The classically-cut chasuble is bordered by a fringe of gold thread.
This well-preserved piece completes the Museum's collection of liturgical vestments and is exposed in the Textiles room, next to the chasubles and mitres on display.