Chasuble

When Italian silk mills in Lucca and Venice flourished in the 13th century, technique and patterns were very much dependent on Spain and the eastern Mediterranean. The fabric of this chasuble (in Latin casula, meaning little house, from the originally ‘house-like’ shape of the robe) from Cologne, worn by the priest when celebrating mass, is Italian velvet with a typically Oriental pomegranate pattern. The frequent combination of Italian fabrics with embellishments from workshops in other countries demonstrates the popularity of these garments throughout Europe, which were cut and fitted at each respective location. (Barbara Til)