Vestements

This cope is part of a High Mass set which includes: a chasuble, stole, maniple, burse and a veil. It was made by Watts & Co. for Downside Abbey.

Silver (Japanese) metal threads have been used and couched in double rows using grey thread and surface couching. The tips of the petals have been raised using a thin string as padding. This three-dimensional effect infuses life into the design.

Roses and crowns are emblems of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The fifteen petal rose  echoes the five joyous mysteries, the five sorrowful mysteries and the five glorious mysteries of the rosary.*

Vestement

This dalmatic and stole, together with the rose silk chasuble displayed alongside were designed by J.L.Davenport for Watts & Co. of Westminster, and believed to have been made before WWI.

The Latin script on the dalmatic reads: Gaudette cum Laetitia (rejoice with gladness), and Letare Jerusalem (Rejoice of Jerusalem).

The design of the set was based on a dalmatic worn by St. Lawrence, Deacon of San Lorenzo and Martyr, in a fresco by the Italian artist Fra Angelico (c. 1447-9). The fresco is housed in the Niccoline Chapel in the Vatican, a copy of it can be found at Downside Abbey.*

*From an information board

2 Comments CherryPie on Aug 19th 2016

2 Responses to “Vestments”

  1. Astrid says:

    I am always impressed by the robes the church-people wear. I know I say it a little different. The embroidery is an art on it’s own.