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Cope

Half circle of fabric, embroidered with Virgin Mary, saints, prophets, and plant motif.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • Half circle of fabric, embroidered with Virgin Mary, saints, prophets, and plant motif.

Date:

1490/1517, with later restoration

Artist:

England

About this artwork

The production of textiles for churches—hangings, altar frontals, and liturgical vestments—was a thriving industry in Europe from the twelfth century through the eighteenth century. Among the finest ecclesiastical vestments is this resplendent velvet cope, a semicircular cloak worn as an outer garment in processions or during special ceremonies by a priest or bishop. The elegant needlework was called opus anglicanum (English work). Surrounding the cope’s central image of the Assumption of the Virgin, rendered in silk and gold threads, are seraphim standing on wheels, thistles, fleurs-de-lis, and double-headed eagles—all connected by tendrils animated by spangles. Old Testament prophets and New Testament saints with their attributes alternate on the orphrey band, which runs the full width of the work. Saint Paul is depicted on the hood, which rests on the back of the cope, while an image of God holding an orb decorates the morse, or closure. The brown-velvet ground is an unusual color for vestments of this style; it may have faded from purple or crimson.

Status

On View, Gallery 237

Department

Textiles

Title

Cope

Place

England (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1490–1517

Medium

Silk cut and voided velvet, linen appliqué, silk and gilt metallic thread embroidery, and metal spangles

Dimensions

160.7 × 291.2 cm (64 1/4 × 114 5/8 in.)

Credit Line

Grace R. Smith Textile Endowment

Reference Number

1971.312a

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/36132/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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