On a couple of previous of occasions, we've featured some details taken from historical artworks that feature interesting liturgical details, in particular sacred vestments (the most common liturgical feature to turn up in such works, rather than the liturgy itself). Today is yet another installment in this. As these pictures come to light, we squirrel them away and save them up for a rainy day such as today.
The main reason for doing this is simply because taken in combination with the date of the painting itself, it shows the forms and styles of vestments that were prized during the period in which the painter painted. So from that perspective, it is historically educational. Beyond that, for lovers of fine silk and embroidery, these can also reveal some beautiful detailing which could provide some inspiration and ideas for creators of vestments today.
The thing to do in these portraits is to pay attention to the details. Look at first the shape of the particular vestment, look at the shape and placement of the orphreys, look at the textiles that are used and the embroideries. Many times these depict prelates, so look also at their pontificals. There are all sorts of details to take in and appreciate. (If there is anything we'd like to particularly draw your attention to, we will provide a comment, but otherwise we leave it to our readers to take the time to analyze these images for themselves.)
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| St. Ambrose, 1600-1650, Gerard Seghers |
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| Detail, "The Exhumation of Saint Hubert," 1430, Rogier van der Weyden |
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| Unknown |
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| Unknown |
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| Ordination of St. Stephen to the diaconate, 1495-1500, Paul Vergós |
These next two examples are particular favourites of mine. The first being an exquisite portrait of St.. Ambrose of Milan, by Francisco de Zubaran, showing not only two very fine pontificals (do look closely at the mitre), but it is of course the Renaissance style cope that is especially impressive.
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| St. Ambrose, 1627, Francisco de Zubaran |
The other one that jumps at to me in this series is noteworthy for reason of all the liturgical and ceremonial details it captures in addition to the vestments. First, on the figure of the pope as well as the consecratee we see the classic shape of the chasubles of the 1600's. On the co-consecrating bishops, two splendid copes indicative as well of the styles of the time: ornamental fabrics paired with orphreys and shields embroideries with figurative imagery. Around them, one will note the ample and flowing surplices of the attending clerics, and, as per the style of the time, the moderate use of lace. Finally, in behind we see teh display of precious church plate -- the "piatto di parata" (you can read more about it here if interested: Romanitas: The Display of Church Plate for Solemn Occasions and an Inquiry into Roman Origins).
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| Pope Alexander III Consecrates Antelmo de Chignin, 1626-1632, Vincenzo Carducci |
In our own time, pontifical dalmatics have become quite simple. They are usually made of very plain, light silk. This is for pragmatic reasons. In earlier centuries, this was not necessarily the case as you can see here.
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| Unknown |
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| St. Stephen, 1494, Domenico Ghirlandaio |
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| St. Stephen, 1325, Giotto |
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| Detail, Martyrdom of St. Stephen, 1560, Giorgio Vasari |
This next painting is an anonymous paiuting of Pope St. Telesphorus. From a vestural point of view, obviously the main point of focus is the beautifully ornamented cope, but don't sleep on the rochet, nor on the classic red papal slippers with their golden cross. One will note that he is wearing a brown habit, which is less historical of course than it is a reference to his being considered a spiritual father of the Carmelite order.
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| Pope St. Telesphorus, 1601, Anonymous |
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| St. Stephen, 1562, Juan de Juanes |
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| Detail, Emperor Heraclius Carrying the Cross to Jerusalem, 1562, Ippolito Scarsella |
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| Detail, Presentation of Christ in the Temple, 1510, Vittore Carpaccio |
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| Detail from the Sant'Eusanio Altarpiece by Francesco da Montereale, 1490-1500 |
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| Catalogue of the Archbishops of Gniezno and Lives of the Bishops of Cracow, 1531-1535 |
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| St. Philip Neri, 17th century, artist unknown. |
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| Detail, Doubting St. Thomas with St. Magnus, 1504-1505, Giovanni Battista Cima Da Conegliano |
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| Detail from "Miraculous Apparition of the Angel to Gregory the Great," ca. 1602, Ventura Salimbeni |
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| St. Vincent Martyr, 1602, Juan Sariñena |
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| San Lorenzo, 1610, Francesco Curradi |
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| St. Lawrence, 1615-1620, Cristofano Allori |
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| St. Lawrence and St. Stephen, 1580, Alonso Sánchez Coello |
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| St. Stephen, 1568, Bernardino Ricciardi |
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