The Portland daily press., 1870-07-04
Embroidered Christian Art.

SOME OF 1.-THE PoPE's OLD GEMS.
very curious collection of objects of
Christian art relating to Catholic worship was
exhibited at Rome not long since, in the
cloisters within the baths of Diocletian. The
first in interest as well as in beauty was the
remarkable TOnicello, the Dalmatic said to
have been used by Pope Leo the Third, at the
coronation of the Emperor Charlamagne; the
pontiff reigned from A. D. 795 to SIG. 1t has
been preserved in the treasury of the vatican;
it is known that the palace of the vatican ex-
isted in the eighth century, and that Charlie
magne resided there at IL time of his eoro-
nation by st. Leo. There is no reason to
doubt that this intere sting work of art dates
from as early period. The design, worked
in gold and silver thread on dark blue
ground of silk, is evidently by the hand of a
Byzantine artist. Indeed, it bears a very
close resemblance, both in general treatment
and costume, to some of the fine mosaic pic
lures by Greek artists still extant in the
churches at Ravenna, and which date from
the time of Justinian and two following cen.
turtles. The form of the dalmatic is similar
to that in use at the present time by the at
tendant priests of the celebrant at mass, who
is himself Labited in the chasuble; it is OF
square shape both before and behind, with
smaller square lateral pieces depending and
forming loose sleeves. The principal subject
is contained in large circle here is repre-
sented colossal figure OF our Lord in glory,
seated on rainbow and holding the gospels (;
the right handtis raisedland open, but not Civ
ing benediction either in the eastern or west
ern mode: the feet are resting on two winged
circles, a mystical type mentioned by Ezekiel
surrounding him is an angelic host, in figures
of smaller size; beneath, in smaller proper
tions, is semi-circle of standing figures, rep
resenting the apostles, patriarchs and emper-
ors,-some wearing the regal costume of the
eastern empire. The remaining space in the
angles is filled with a stately figure surround
ed by crowd OF men of very diminutiye size.
THIS mode of varying the proportions of the
figures according to the importance of the
person represented is common in the pictori-
al subjects of Byzantine artists at that early
| period. The posterior surface is covered with
design of the TRANSPORTATION. Our Lord is
ascending from Mount Tabor; the figures OF
Moses and Elias are placed on either side be-
| low are seen three OF the apostles, shielding
| their eyes from the effulgence of the glory
| above. This conventional treatment of the
| subject has been followed pretty closely by
| Raphael, in his celebrated picture. The two
| subjects on the lateral squares represent the
mystical institution of the Eucharist; in one
case our Lord is distributing bread to the
| apostles from table; in the other he gives
the cup. The simple and homely treatment
| of these two scenes bears strong resem-
blance to similar representations found on the
| incised stones of the early Christians. The
| different subjects are indicated by inscriptions
in Greek characters; the remaining portions
of vestments are covered with small crosses,
| enclosed within churches. A very rich tone
of color is still retained the dark blue silk OF
the ground was doubtless fabricated in the
East; this is laid over an equally rich mass OF
| red silk, with several layers of some coarser
material beneath; the orphreys of gold and
silver thread have even now subdued rich
ness. The size is enormous; it could hardly
have been worn by any man OF ordinary stat
ure it was probably never much used; this
together with the thickness of the material
| may account for the excellent state of preser-
| vation in which we now find it.
The remaining embrOiderieS which make
| up this collection were brought from the
| cathedral at Anagni. This town is situated
just beyond the Alqan hills, at no great dis.
tance from Rome; it supplies several pontiff;
to the chair OF St Peter during the middle
ages. Here are preserved the vestments O
Innocent the Third, A. ID. 119S-1216. They
consist of a chasuble and two dalmatics, and
0oiiOsPouu very wen VIII tudI uale. Inoy
were probably made in Sicily, where, at that
time, very beautiful works of art OF many
kinds were produced. The mixture OF BY
| zantine and ROmanesque designs gives to these
works marked character. The ground o
these investments is ofcoarse silk, OF that pc
culiarly rich red color which is still made in
| the Levant; the embroideires are in massive
| gold thread, and mainlylcovered with pat
tern consisting Oftfeliation and circles contain
ing, the winged .lion, the spread eagle, ans
birds in pairs. The .chasuole alone is orna
mented with band of orphreys, representing
our Lord giving benediction according to the
Latin rite; also the virgin, King David, and
the ancestors of Christ.