HIGH FASHION IN THE CHURCH:The Place of Church Vestments in the History of Art from the Ninth to Nineteenth Century
by Pauline Johnstone
"The decoration of church vestments, which are the ceremonial garments worn by the clergy at the celebration of the Mass, has always been a matter of high fashion. In the first place the crafts of silk weaving and embroidery, which provide the technical means for the decoration of these garments, have held a prominent place in the changing fashions in the arts since the early Middle Ages, and since that time have been used in the service of the church as well as for secular purposes."
• 207 pages • 10x13 • Hardcover •
• ISBN: 1-902653-61-0 • Costume & Fashion Press • $150.00 •
Product Link: www.quitespecificmedia.com/books/93.php
Evidently the book is not inexpensive though for such a specialist bit of subject matter, that shouldn't come as a terrible surprise.
I have often thought that a coffee table type of book would be most suitable to the subject of the historical art of vestment making through extant historical examples. This book looks promising in this regard and is the first I have come across in the English language.
Watch for an upcoming review of this title.
