Description:
Woman's sack-back (a la francaise or Watteau) style gown consisting of an open robe, petticoat, and stomacher. All three pieces are in a matching fabric of light to medium shade blue silk tabby weave decorated with an all-over, medium-sized brocaded design of floral sprigs in seven colors. The garment is a rare example of a largely unaltered 18th-century gown. The body of the full length open robe consists of six widths of fabric joined together, each selvage width is 22.25" wide, suggesting a French origin; one width on either side of the front, the other four form the back of the garment. There are four gores, two at either side, that help to both curve and elongate the gown as it descends into the train in back. The fabric is pleated (six, or two double box pleats) in the back of the robe, at the neckline, by the neckpiece. The fabric pattern is carefully matched up to be mirror image-symmetrical at these pleats. Three pleats of the robe fabric are sewn in under each sleeve at the bodice sides, and are let out at the waist areas for skirt fullness. There is a pocket opening on each side of the robe in the skirt. There is facing on the inside hem of the skirt, in cream silk. The robe has set in sleeves that are elbow length. Lace trimming, with gathered two-tier flounces or engageantes, complete the sleeve. Original (linen?) lace remains at the sleeve flounces, but similar, modern lace edges the robings and stomacher (probably added in the 20th century). The sleeves are gathered at the top of the armscyes, and secured by a small piece of self fabric. The robings edging the gown opening are pleated self fabric and taper from 1.0" behind the neck to 7.5" at the hem. Robing is flanked on either side by lace trim, matching that on the sleeves. The robe is not lined, except for the bodice. The robe skirt is faced with a matching off-white, plain-weave silk. There is a cream silk stay (modern) on the back inside, that is able to be tightened. This cream silk is also to be found on the sides and front as the lining of the bodice. The petticoat consists of six widths of matching brocade material, pleated into a waistband (the original waistband is no longer extant). There is a outer flounce of self fabric and lace trim (4 1/2" wide) decorating the bottom of the petticoat that matches the robings. Petticoat is not lined. The stomacher, which appears to be original, is rectangular shaped, ending in a shallow 'V'. Ties are near the bottom (at least one is replaced), and there is a band of (modern) lace across the top. The brocaded pattern is lined up symmetrically on the stomacher, and constructed with a center front seam.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+F.508 |
