Category: Period


  • Pearl-embroidered mitre of Sainte-Chapelle, Paris (France)

    Last week, we looked at the pearl-embroidered mitre of St Isidoro, which dates to the second quarter of the 14th-century. Today’s pearl-embroidered mitre is slightly younger and dates to the last quarter of the 14th-century and was likely made in Paris. It was once housed in Sainte-Chapelle, the 13th-century royal chapel in the heart of…

  • Pearl-embroidered mitre of Saint Isidoro, Bologna (Italy)

    The Saint Stefano church, one of the churches of the seven-churches complex in Bologna, houses a spectacular pearl-embroidered mitre from the second quarter of the 14th century. The iconography is not your average Christian fare with dragons, birds, and lion masks amidst foliage. It is, in fact, so rare that no comparable pieces are known.…

  • Aosta Cathedral, Italy: A 15th century embroidered chasuble

    By now, you probably know that chasing embroidered medieval vestments is kinda my thing :). Although I am fortunate enough to be able to travel regularly, a lot of my research happens behind a computer screen. Trailing through publications, especially the literature references, is how I find new-to-me pieces. And related information to these pieces.…

  • Opus anglicanum: St Nicholas Dalmatic

    A couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to finally visit the Cathedral Treasury of Anagni near Rome, Italy. The treasury houses several pieces of Opus anglicanum, not only the namesake cope. One of these pieces is the chasuble, which you can see below. However, this vestment started life as a dalmatic. It was…

  • Late medieval vestments in the St Nicolai Church in Kalkar, part II

    Last week, I wrote about the embroidered late medieval vestments on display in the St Nicolai Church in Kalkar. We looked in depth at the richly embroidered chasuble donated by Wolter van Riswick in AD 1530. This week, we’ll examine a splendidly embroidered cope and dalmatic, also kept in the church in Kalkar. These vestments…

  • Late Medieval Vestments in the St. Nicolai Church in Kalkar, part I

    Last year, I visited the St Nicolai Church in Kalkar. The church inventory lists more than 100 medieval vestments in AD 1543.