Textile with crowned double headed eagles
Chinese, Macao, for Iberian market
Not on view
Silk—traded as skeins of thread, lengths of fabric, and articles of clothing—dominated Chinese exports. Westerners lavished Chinese silk on the adornment of domestic spaces as well as sacred ones. This textile incorporates the coat of arms of the religious order of Saint Augustine: the crowned double-headed eagle of the European Hapsburg dynasty above the pierced heart of the Augustinians, a symbol of charity. The fabric was probably intended for use in Christian liturgy. Red vestments, which evoke the color of blood, are worn for the feasts of the Holy Cross, Apostles, Evangelists, and Martyrs.
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