Cope.
Lithuania, 3rd quarter of the 18th c.
Vilnius Cathedral.
18th c. Rococo colours and ideas of Classicism
The spirit of Rococo is particularly well reflected in eighteenth-century patterned silk fabrics from the weaving mills of France, above all Lyon, whose ornaments and colours were adopted by acupictors. The distinctive features of this style are light pastel colours, swirling flower garlands and diagonally meandering “rivers”. In the third quarter of the 18th century, the taste in decorative arts inclined towards classics with a predilection for clear architectural lines and a renewed interest in motifs of classical antiquity.
Copes
The cope is a sumptuous outer liturgical vestment. It is worn during processions and various liturgical services, with the exception of the Holy Mass. In the beginning, it performed the function of protection from cold in chilly monasteries, and was made from black woollen cloth. The cope has retained a relic of the former mantle protecting from bad weather, the hood, which has become a decorative element.
