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FELON'

Creator(s): Unknown (Manufacturer)

On view in: Russian Sacred Arts Gallery


About this object

The felon' is made of a figured silk with a background of yellow silk and gold-wrapped yellow silk thread. The fabric is subdivided by a trellis-like pattern of grape vines dotted with bunches of grapes and grape leaves with rosettes rendered in silver-wrapped, white silk thread. Between these trellises are large bunches of flowers in silk and silk chenille. They include roses and other, smaller blooms in orange, red, pink, and purple set against leaves and stems in multiple shades of green. The widest panel of fabric from which the vestment is made measures 21 inches at its widest point. As on all felon', there is a star and a cross applied to the back of the garment. The Latin, or equal-armed, cross at the upper back (below the apparel) measures 7.5 inches x 7.5 inches. It is rendered in stumpwork made of gold-wrapped silk thread over what seems to be board. Silver-wrapped threads decorate the end of each of the arms and there are gilt spangles decorating the cross and the five rays between each of its arms. The star at the lower back above the apparel is also rendered in stumpwork made of gold- and silver-wrapped thread decorated with spangles. The center of the star is in silver. The apparels are decorated with a curving vine sprouting alternating oak leaves and acorns in gold-wrapped silk thread set against a background of silver-wrapped silk threads. Five unmarked gold-colored or gilded brass buttons are evenly spaced along the apparel at the front of the garment. Five loops in yellow silk cord are sewn below each button. The garment is lined in yellow silk. A replacement piece of yellow cotton has been sewn into the front lining.

Object name:
FELON'
Made from:
Silk -- gold-wrapped silk thread -- silver-wrapped silk thread -- silk chenille -- cotton -- board? -- gilt brass buttons
Made in:
Moscow, Russia
Date made:
before 1854
Size:
138.4 x 171.5 cm (54 1/2 x 67 1/2 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:
44.43
Class:
VESTMENT
Signature marks:
INSCRIPTION Akt N 27 N 5 The inscription "Deed no. 27 no. 5" presumably refers to the inventory of the institution to which the garment was donated. [Handwritten in Cyrillic in purple ink on rear interior silk lining at neck. ] INSCRIPTION Vklad kuptsa Popova Trans.: "Gift of the merchant Popov" [Handwritten in Cyrillic in purple ink on rear interior silk lining at neck. ] INSCRIPTION Simonov mn-r? Possible translation: Simonov monastery. It could indicate that the garment was a donation to a Simonov monastery. [Handwritten in Cyrillic in ink on rear interior silk lining at neck. ] INSCRIPTION 1254 Probably an inventory number [Handwritten in ink on rear interior silk lining at neck.] INSCRIPTION 3393. Probably an inventory number [Handwritten in ink on rear interior silk lining at neck.] INSCRIPTION 259 The number is underlined and written upside-down below the inscription "3393." [Handwritten in ink on rear interior silk lining at neck.] INSCRIPTION 500 [Stamped in ink on rear interior silk lining at neck.] INSCRIPTION DO. OP. [Handwritten in crude Cyrillic capitals in blue ink on lining, bottom center, inside hem] INSCRIPTION podopolmitslnoi 244 No. Probably an abbreviation -- Meaning of word is not clear. [Handwritten in Cyrillic black ink on lining, bottom center, inside hem] INSCRIPTION 1854 goda kuptsa Popova Trans: "[Donated in?] 1854 by the merchant Popov" Writing is smeared from the ink absorbing into the silk. [Handwritten in black ink on lining, bottom center, inside hem] INSCRIPTION po pri[???]loi Knigi No. 149 Trans: "Number 149 in the ???? book." Presumably it refers to a number in an inventory or donation book. [Handwritten in black ink on lining, bottom center, inside hem] INSCRIPTION S/.12185. Probably Soviet-era inventory marks. [Handwritten in Cyrillic in ink on lining, bottom PR, inside hem] INSCRIPTION G? 50 Unknown mark resembles a hard sign. [Handwritten in Cyrillic in ink on lining, bottom PR, inside hem]
Credit line:
Gift of Dina Merrill Robertson, 1977