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FELON'

Creator(s): Unknown (Manufacturer)

Currently in storage


About this object

OVERALL: The felon' (chasuble) is made from a deep orange-colored velvet, now faded in spots. The garment is constructed of four pieces sewn together with a center seam at the front. The main body of the back of the felon' is made up of a 20 1/4- inch panel of orange velvet seamed on both sides with 20 inch panels. It is decorated with a series of appliquéd, stumpwork stars placed in even rows across the garment. The rays of the stars are of alternating silver-covered thread and gold-covered thread. There is a brass bead sewn in the center of each star. Between each ray is one small, round spangle attached with a gold spiral thread. Around the entire hem is a zigzag of large round spangles stitched down with yellow silk wrapped in flat gold metal thread. There is black velvet edging beyond this. The lining of the felon' is of off-white linen. BACK: The uppermost section of the back is ornamented with a wreath made of two different sorts of branches. That on the (viewer's) left appears to be olive and on the (viewer's) right is laurel. The branches and leaves are rendered in gold and silver stumpwork surrounding a gold stumpwork monogram of three initials in Cyrillic script. At the base of the wreath is a silver stumpwork bow tying the two branches together. They are made up of alternating wide strips of silver that have been hammered to create a concave surface. The metal has an iridescent patina. On the proper right shoulder are sheaves of wheat rendered in silver-covered thread with gold stumpwork stems. The silver work is composed of two types of silver thread-one smooth [and] coiled and the other crinkled-both having been done in a bullion stitch. On the proper left shoulder is a cluster of grapes. The grape leaves are rendered in gold-covered threads and accented with round spangles suggesting the veins of the leaves. Round, gold spangles form tendrils from the grape vine.

Object name:
FELON'
Made from:
Velvet -- linen -- silk -- gold-wrapped thread -- silver-wrapped thread -- silver and silver-gilt spangles -- brass
Made in:
Russia
Date made:
1775-1800
Size:
129.5 × 151.1 cm (51 × 59 1/2 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:
44.5
Class:
VESTMENT
Signature marks:
INITIALS [Cyrillic script] BGI In couched gilt stitching, rear exterior. The initials are somewhat difficult to read and may have been misidentified. INSCRIPTIONS [Cyrillic] Komplekt 3 pr?? In purple ink inside back lining near hem. Trans: A set comprising 3 pieces (predmety?). [Cyrillic] s" [diacritical indicating hard sign.] In purple ink inside back lining near hem. [voided inscription] In purple ink inside back lining near hem. [voided inscription] In pencil, inside back lining, near hem. 400 Stamped in purple, inside lining, near neck. 244 In faded black ink, inside lining, front, near hem. [Cyrillic script] Dt s/5795 In waxy blue pencil/crayon, inside back lining, near hem. This mark (Dt followed by an inventory number) appears on many vestments presumably sold in the Soviet period.
Credit line:
Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973