Embroidered scenes in rectangular panels, known as apparel, were made with the most luxurious thread to decorate tunic-shaped ecclesiastical vestments, known as dalmatics. Apparel were placed at the ends of sleeves, as seen in the adjacent example, and on the front and back above the hem.

The artist who drew this pattern created exceptionally expressive facial features that a master embroiderer succeeded in conveying with silk stitches. The draped clothing was created entirely by varying the density of silk thread crossing over the gold thread, an extravagant technique known by its French name or nué, or shaded gold.