The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 1, 2023

Chasuble

c. 1760–1770

France, Lyon, 18th century

Taffeta, brocaded; silk, silver, and gold thread

Overall: 121.8 x 73 cm (47 15/16 x 28 3/4 in.)

John L. Severance Fund 1986.29

Location

not on view

Description

This costly woven silk with brilliant strips of gold foil features landscapes with blossoming trees and architecture, motifs that were popular by the 1760s. Its asymmetrical pattern suggests it was designed as a furnishing fabric rather than for clothing. Perhaps it was donated by a faithful parishioner to be made into an ecclesiastical vestment in a well-established practice.

Exhibition history

Year in Review for 1986. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 4-March 15, 1987).

In Pursuit of Fashion: Decorative Textiles in 18th Century France. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 1, 1989-March 3, 1991).

Opulent Fashion in the Church. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 19, 2016-October 2, 2017).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1986.29