Antependium
Southern Italy (Naples or Sicily) or Spain
Antependium, ca. 1675–1700
Silk, linen, gold and silver thread
39 3/8 × 90 15/16 in., 7.08 lb. (100 × 231 cm, 3.21 kg)
Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem
© The Frick Collection
During Mass, the front of an altar is usually decorated with an antependium (or palliotto) made of metal, wood, or fabric. This example is richly embroidered with floral and plant motifs. Although it could have been made in Spain, it was more likely created in Southern Italy, as a gift from the Spanish Crown.