A Eighteenth Century Belgian Solemn Mass Set

Brussels' Inventaire du Patrimoine Mobilier has an interesting set of vestments that they have dated to the eighteenth century, taken from the inventory of the Sint-Katelijnekerk (St. Catherine's Church) -- an impressive fourteenth or fifteenth century gothic pile located in the city of Brussels. 

The extant pieces from the set include a chasuble, dalmatic(s) and, most impressively, three stunning copes. These pieces are characterized by their beautiful cream silk damasks, and embossed metallic gold embroideries that include vines, flowers, fruits and vases overflowing with clusters of grapes.  

Perhaps the most striking feature of all, however, are the beautiful polychromatic figurative scenes featured on the shield of the three copes and also on the back of chasuble; these include depictions of the Immaculate Conception, the Ascension, the martyr St. Catherine (the patron saint of the church) and, on the chasuble, a scene of the Last Supper. 

We begin with the three copes.

The Immaculate Conception (Source)

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The Ascension (Source)

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St. Catherine (Source)

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The front of the three copes are, of course, identical, and certainly worth showing as they are quite beautifully designed with their flowers, vines and vases overflowing with clusters of grapes. 

As mentioned earlier, the chasuble includes a beautiful depiction of the Last Supper. The general design follows a classic northern European and French style, with a simple Latin cross orphrey on the back and single column orphrey on the front.

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The Last Supper (Source)

Finally we have the dalmatics from the set, which are of a rather curious design insofar as they do not follow a typical orphrey model, instead mixing the usual 'clavi' (the vertical bars) with a large rectangular panel at their base. These are perhaps the weakest design of the entire set, but they are saved by their exquisite embroideries. 

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It is perhaps worth pointing out that the chasubles and dalmatic do not use the same silk damask as the three copes.  Despite that difference, these are obviously part of a complete set, made contemporaneously with one another by the same workshop. The difference in the silks is quite likely pragmatic, likely having to do with the limited availability of the more ornate silk damask that was used for the three copes. 

Photos © KIK-IRPA, Brussels (Belgium)

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