For the Greater Glory of God: Liturgical and Religious Art for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles might seem weighty as a title for an art exhibition, but it works. Elegant, ethereal, and inspirational, the ambience of the surroundings has all the makings of the best of shows. The show is on view through May 31 at The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles.

This offering of religious sculpture, fashion vesture, and iconography traces the history of the image Our Lady of the Angels as realized in Eugenio Pattarino's ceramic sculpture. Although the sculpture provides the initial context for the image, the main focus is liturgical fashion; twenty-two chasubles (priestly robes), created by Holland's famed designer of vesture, the Stadelmaier Company of Nijmegen, Holland. The exhibit is especially relevant given Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming visit to the U.S. in April. The curator of the exhibition, Father Michael Tang, appropriately titled the collection, "75 years of Heavenly Fashion."

In the 1950s, Cardinal James Francis McIntyre commissioned Italian ceramic artist Eugenio Pattarino to create an original sculpture of Our Lady of the Angels; the piece, although diminutive in size, is an inspired image of the Virgin complete with billowing gown and child-like putti. In 1961, Pattarino was commissioned to create a larger than life version of the original. This monumental sculpture which resides in the ambulatory of the Cathedral, is the paradigm for the Stadelmaier image. The chasubles, intricately embroidered with the image of Our Lady in 1966, were directly copied from the Pattarino sculpture. These are the stars of the show.

Eleven of these vestments were designed and executed by Magdalena Stadelmaier and the artist Wim van Woerkom; one was a gift for Pope Paul VI. Stadelmaier's replication of the original sculpture --- in a completely different medium --- embroidery --- is meticulous. From the gouache sketch of an image on paper to its actual embroidery on fabric, the conversion from one media to another is not always successful. Stadelmaier was especially adept at retaining the integrity of the original design while adding the nuances and layered meanings associated with her media.

The embroidered Nuestra Seņoras are rich, and visceral; they have a depth that surpasses the sketches. There is a tactile quality about textiles that invites physical touch; indeed, these are living, breathing sculptures, akin to bas relief.

After the Second Vatican Council in 1965, church liturgical styles began to follow secular fashion. This was a reflection of the church's desire to be locally responsive and sensitive to the times. Contrary to historical precedent, fashion no longer follows the church, but the church follows fashion. Although the Stadelmaier name may not be well known outside religious circles, anyone familiar with liturgical "fashion"-copes, stoles, and chasubles - knows the company is synonymous with the highest art in liturgical vesture.

A few chasubles on display are of particular interest: one is from the private chapel of Pope Paul VI, another was designed for and worn by Pope John Paul II on his commemorative visit to Holland in 1985. And although not part of this exhibition, special vestment sets are currently being designed for Pope Benedict XVI's history-making visit to Washington DC and New York City next month; only the best dress the Pope!

Earlier pieces represented in the show help to illustrate the progression of Stadelmaier's designs with the changes in liturgy. A particularly poignant piece entitled Violet Chasuble, and dated 1958, is reminiscent of the works of El Greco, with his elongated, distorted, and seemingly tortured figures so typical of Mannerism. The image of Christ on the Cross on the back of this vestment conveys all the pain and angst of the period. The elongation and angularity of the figure are distorted as are the long, thin streams of blood from the Christ. The loincloth seems three-dimensional as illustrative textile processes create depth. The radiating halo, glows and reverberates in a way that only a textile can; it bleeds and ultimately dies. The chasuble is made even more compelling by the fact that it is living art; it moves and changes with the body. Like all Stadelmaier vesture, these pieces are sumptuous, with thick gestural lines; and when they are worn, they are brought to life.

Magdalena Stadelmaier was an artist who chose a needle instead of a brush to make her mark. Very quickly, an identifiable signature was created; typically, artists who work in any of the domestic arts remain anonymous, however, Mrs. Stadelmaier developed a voice that transcended the need for signing her work. She is in the fine company of other Dutch artists such as Rembrandt, Van Dyck, and Vermeer. Stylistically, Stadelmaier followed contemporary trends in painting; one can see Bauhaus and German Expressionist influences in her stitching. This places her work in context with the secular art world at the time. One can easily trace artistic influences, especially Picasso, in the division and cubism of her figures. The mask-like faces so painstakingly worked by needle, recall those in his painting, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. Minimalism, the movement of the 1960's, where work is stripped down to fundamental features, appears again and again in many of the designs.

The 1934 white chasuble, Lamb of God Give Us Peace, is both abstract and symbolic. Here, understanding iconography is the key to reading symbols: Christ is the Lamb, the chalice represents his blood, and the Eucharist is wheat, fish, and bread. Contrast this piece with the one catalogued as Modern Ornamentation, 1975, and one begins to understand the evolution that has occurred in the church. The 1934 piece holds a type of privatized language; one has to know the code to "read" it. The piece from 1975 also has symbols, but symbols evolved into stylized gems; there is no single meaning, all are open to interpretation. This chasuble design also reflects the Pop Art Culture of the 1970's, in both concept and aesthetic.

One of the requirements of liturgical vesture is that the images read well from a distance. Embroidered images carry iconography in a way that a painted image or printed textile cannot. The handwriting of the artist is never so prevalent as it is in stitchery. A painter can create a painted line as quickly as he/she can make the gesture. But in any type of embroidery, gesture must be conceived, planned and then tediously executed. However studied, the stitched line is more sculptural, and expressive. In her work, Stadelmaier articulated this translation again and again, by employing a host of techniques to create an intimate, seamless, yet complex surface, rich with texture. Embroidery was her first language, and with it, she conveyed tremendous sensitivity to the materials. Remarkably, the object of Stadelmaier's textiles, was most often, the textile itself.

This is a unique show with a broad appeal for all Los Angelenos. "It's a one of a kind opportunity," said Father Tang, "as these works of art are from private collections in Europe and were difficult to gather. The quality and age of the vestments, and the comprehensive nature of the exhibit most likely will not be seen again."

Perhaps the best reason to visit the show is simply to contemplate the beauty, mystery, and pageantry of the liturgy in the Cathedral itself; as a venue for art, it doesn't get any better than this. As historic textiles mirror history itself, this body of work has never been more relevant as we struggle to understand and incorporate faith and ritual into our daily lives. These vestments allow us to contemplate devotion to artistic technique as it reflects devotion to the Divine. As culture and beliefs are always embedded in textile forms, these "heavenly fashions" offer a powerful parallel to secular fashion in our world today.

Deborah Young is a professor of textile science and history at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles.