Italian, Venice
Garment Fabric for a Chasuble, 1500-1750
Silk, cut pile-on-pile velvet, T17w27.a (front): 25 x 21 in. (63.5 x 53.3 cm)
These two simple, red velvet textiles comprise the front and back of a vest or apron. The garment, if rejoined at the shoulder seams, would slip over the wearer’s head and fall down both back and chest to approximately knee length on one side and waist length on the other. There is a V neckline on the longer side and a squared off opening on the shorter. The lower edge of both pieces is rounded. There is a continuous border of gold braid, except around the neckline of each piece. Both are sewn from the same red silk velvet. The deep plush is cut down in places to create a stylized six petaled, round flower that alternates with a crown form. The garment is displayed with the shorter side hanging above the longer and over it.
Short Gallery
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.