Cope
Unknown Artist
ca. 1735
Medium
Silk
Dimensions
10 ft. 1 in. × 58 in. (307.3 × 147.3 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven|Textiles-Ecclesiastical
Culture
Italian, probably Venice
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Kate Read Blacque, in memory of her husband, Valentine Alexander Blacque, 1933
Accession Number
33.95.48
Tags
Art Historical Context
This magnificent silk cope, dating to around 1735 and likely woven in Venice, Italy, exemplifies the opulent textile artistry of the Venetian Renaissance's twilight. Measuring an impressive 10 feet long by nearly 5 feet wide, it was designed as a liturgical vestment cope, or semicircular mantle worn by clergy during processions and solemn Masses. Venice's silk workshops were world-renowned for their luxurious brocades, blending Eastern influences with European flair, and this piece reflects that tradition through its intricate woven patterns of flowers, leaves, and trees, evoking a lush, parad...