Chasuble with Orphrey Band

Chasuble: Late 15th century; Orphrey Band: Late 15th/early 16th century

Chasuble: Silk, plain weave with silk facing wefts and twill interlacings of secondary binding warps, and gilt-metal-strip-wrapped silk facing wefts forming weft loops on cut and uncut, pile-on-pile voided velvet; Orphrey Band: Linen, plain weave; embroidered with silk, linen and gilt-metal-strip-wrapped silk in fishbone, herringbone, satin, split, and stem stitches; laid work, couching, and padded couching; edged with woven fringe

131.8 × 73.4 cm (51.9 × 28.9 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

This chasuble's motif, the pomegranate, was the predominate textile motif, along with related forms such as pomegranate thistles and pineapples, during the 15th century. Church specification dictated that all chasubles had to be made of silk, the most expensive and most precious of all materials. Quite frequently gold and silver threads were used to embellish the back of the chasuble as seen in this example. The Orphrey band, which was added at a later time, depict the Madonna and child, St. Peter, and an unidentified saint, who was probably a local patron.

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