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Chasuble (Opus Anglicanum)

ca. 1330–50
Not on view
Embroidery produced in England from the thirteenth through the fifteenth century was so celebrated that it was known simply as opus anglicanum (English work). This chasuble is one of the finest surviving examples. Depicted on the front are Saints Peter, Paul, Andrew, and James. On the back are the Coronation of the Virgin, the Adoration of the Magi, and the Annunciation as well as inscriptions. This chasuble, a sleeveless mantle worn by the priest during Mass, was trimmed down in the sixteenth century to conform to current fashion. As a result, the heads of Saints John the Evangelist and John the Baptist were, alas, cut away.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Chasuble (Opus Anglicanum)
  • Date: ca. 1330–50
  • Culture: British
  • Medium: Silver and silver-gilt thread and colored silks in underside couching, split stitch, laid-and-couched work, and raised work, with pearls on velvet
  • Dimensions: Overall (Chasuble): 51 x 30 in. (129.5 x 76.2 cm)
  • Classification: Textiles-Ecclesiastical
  • Credit Line: Fletcher Fund, 1927
  • Object Number: 27.162.1
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

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