Chasuble

A large number of Ottoman silk textiles were destined for export to Europe, where they functioned as secular and religious garments. This chasuble, an ecclesiastical vestment worn by high church officials, is a fine example of the synthesis of Eastern and Western displays of wealth through the donning of silk and gold garments. The design features large-scale palmettes and serrated leaves imbued with tiny pomegranate blossoms, highlighted by gold-wrapped weft threads. The elegant contrast between sky blue and crimson is achieved through the lampas (kemha) technique, which combines two different weave structures to create solid areas of color by floating the unused warp threads on the back of the cloth.