From a recently prepared inventory of historical liturgical vestments belonging to the church of St Mark in Krakow shows that this set consists of 67 pieces that are particularly valuable for learning about the history of silk. The collection is dominated by fabrics from the 18th century, from the factories of Lyon and Tours. Fabrics of this type constitute the majority of liturgical vestments preserved in treasuries and sacristies in Poland. The most valuable silks found in the church of St Mark are the oldest, representing species of designs hitherto unknown in specialist literature. The most valuable and oldest item in the collection is a brocaded velvet chasuble from the end of the 15th century. The fabric probably comes from a Florence workshop and is an outstanding product of the decline of the Italian Quattrocento. The second chasuble with late Renaissance decorations probably also comes from Florence; the fabric is a kind of golden material (drappo d'oro). The sides of another chasuble indicate that silk was imported from Italy, including purple damask with decorations called "wave". In addition to silks of French, Italian, Dutch and German origin, the collection of the church of St Mark has some local embroidery. The most interesting is the chasuble with wonderful decoration and excellent technical workmanship. The inventory is the second part of the article.
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