Description:
Woman's gown consisting of an open, robe a la francaise (sack back or Watteau) robe and a petticoat. Both are in a matching fabric of white silk satin with polychrome, brocaded chinoiserie. Pattern details include architectural structures and floral motifs. Chinoiserie figures in a boat. The robe has a false front, with two self fabric panels that suggest a separate stomacher. The body of the full length robe is open in front and is pleated at the back neckline. The robings at the front consist of gathered self fabric trimmed with fly fringe and green and white chenille. There is a pocket opening on each side of the robe skirt. There are two set in sleeves, which are elbow length and end in a 'V' shape. The inside of the robe, including sleeves, is lined in a tabby weave, off white colored silk. The petticoat has a full front panel; the rest has a plain off white silk satin around the first 11" by the waist, followed by the material. The front panel has two rows of gathered flounces. There is a pocket opening on each side corresponing to those of the robe. The petticoat fastens with two pairs of ties. The brocaded pattern is woven in a straight repeat, three times across the 33.25" width of the fabric. The brocaded pattern length is 18". The fabric is likely Dutch, known as an indienne, in imitation of Chinese silks that were popular in Europe and England in the early and mid 18th century.
Label Text:
By the second quarter of the 18th century, Dutch weavers in Amsterdam and Haarlem each developed drawloom-woven silk industries that competed with better-known centers in France and England. In the 1730s, capitalizing on the vogue for Eastern cultures, Dutch designers created sumptuous drawloom-woven silk patterns filled with improbable scenes echoing faraway lands and conjuring exotic journeys. Dutch weavers also imitated the wider width of Chinese silks in this reflective, shimmering, and colorful silk.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+F.660 |
