Textile Fragment from the Dalmatic of San Valerius

Object Name:
Fragment
Date:
13th century
Geography:
Spain
Medium:
Silk, gilt animal substrate around a silk core; tapestry weave
Dimensions:
Textile: H. 3 1/8 in. (8 cm) W. 8 1/4 in. (21 cm) Mount: H. 12 in. (30.5 cm) W. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm) D. 1/2 in. (1.3 cm)
Classification:
Textiles
Credit Line:
Fletcher Fund, 1946
Accession Number:
46.156.10
  • Description

    This brocaded textile was originally applied to a dalmatic of Andalusian manufacture. It belongs to a collection of vestments attributed to the cult of Saint Valerius, who was the bishop of Saragossa from 290 until 315. During the eleventh century his body was transferred to the Cathedral of San Vicente de Roda de Isábena in Lerida (Catalonia), from where relics were dispatched to other churches. The textiles were made to venerate the saint, with the dalmatic worn on the occasion of his feast day. This textile fragment has an Arabic inscription in naskhi across the bottom: "Good luck and glory and exaltedness and magnificence".

  • Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

    Marking: See link panel.

  • Provenance

    [ Giorgio Sangiorgi, Rome, by 1920–46; to Loewi]; [ Adolph Loewi, Venice and Los Angeles, 1946; sold to MMA]

140008022

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