Chasuble (front)
Unknown Artist
late 17th or early 18th century
Medium
Silk; metal; linen
Dimensions
32 3/4 x 29 1/2 in. (83.2 x 74.9 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Ecclesiastical
Culture
Italian
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1805A
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite chasuble front, crafted in Italy during the late 17 or early 18th, exemplifies the opulent ecclesiastical textiles produced during the Baroque era. Chasubles are sleeveless outer vestments worn by Catholic priests during Mass, symbolizing charity and serving as a canvas for spiritual splendor. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Robert Lehman Collection, this (32 3/4 x 29 1/2 in.) reflects Italy's renowned silk industry and the Church's embrace of lavish artistry to inspire devotion amid the Counter-Reformation's visual fervor. Woven from luxurious silk and adorned with ...