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| Detail of the Baldwyn Chasuble, ca. 1500 |
It is summer time and with summer we find ourselves -- predominantly -- in liturgically green times, so what better time of the year to stop and taken a little 'tour' of some fascinating chasubles in the colour green. For today's considerations I have opted to mainly stick to chasubles coming from the 1400's and 1500's and the attentive observer will notice a number of similar design themes turn up.
First the textiles. You will note just how many of these chasubles utilize velvets. Velvets were one of those popular and stylish fabric choices in the Renaissance period, so it is no surprise that the majority of these chasubles utilize it.
Second, two predominant figurative themes can be found in these designs. One is the crucifixion scene (which is a true scene, typically inclusive of the sort of figures one might expect to see on a rood screen, such as Our Lady and St. John). The other common theme we find (beyond saints) is the Madonna and Child.
Third, design wise, most of these designs, regardless of their country of origin, include the cross on the back of the chasuble -- which, as you'll know, in successive centuries began to be more restricted to chasuble designs only from certain regions. (This perhaps has to do with the symbolism sometimes assigned to this which saw this as representing the priest 'carrying the cross' on his back, much like Christ did.)
So with all that now said, I hope you'll enjoy this little tour of green chasubles from the 1400's and 1500's.
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| Italy, ca. 15th century |
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| Bohemia, ca. 1600 |
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| ca. 1482 |
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| Photo credit: Dr. Jessica Grimm |
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| Polish, ca. 1470 |
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| English, ca. 1480 |
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| German, ca. 1480 |
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| German, ca. 1450 |
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| ca. 1425-1450 |
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| Czech Republic, last quarter of the 15th century |
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