Bizarre Silk Panel

Bizarre silks were the height of fashion for the French and Italian aristocracy in the late 17th and early 18th century. Lavish silk brocades with patterns that mixed fantastic elements with floral, architectural and orientalist elements, they got their name only later when fashion changed and they were too heavy to be made into garments with folds, pleats and bustles. As they were so expensive but could not be used for fashion, they were donated to the church where they were taken apart and reassembled into ecclesiastical garments and altar frontals.This particular pattern features floral motifs along with pillars, water fountain , fish and other design elements.