Object: Dress
Date: c. 1760
Medium: Silk brocaded taffeta
Country: England
Credit Line: Museum purchase
Object number: 2009.11.1
DescriptionRobe a l'anglaise gown with brightly brocaded large floral pattern in shades of pink, green, brown, and blue on mauve silk ground: closed robe a l'anglaise; wide neckline with folded edge; fitted open bodice (stomacher needed); elbow length sleeve with wing cuffs, weight sewn into lining; full knife pleat skirt
Label Text:This circa 1760 gown emphasizes that the basic silhouette of women’s fashion had not changed significantly since the late seventeenth century, but by varying a gown’s textiles, colors, trims, and motifs—all showcased on expansive skirts—one could keep current with fashion. This gown’s colorful brocade fabric was likely handwoven on a complex draw loom in Europe. Yet the silhouette, rather than its costly silk, is what indicates its degree of formality. The robe à l’anglaise, distinguished by wide pleats stitched down at the center back, evoked life in an English country house and was worn in more relaxed social settings.
Exhibitions:
- Night and Day
- Fabric In Fashion