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Formal ensemble
unknown - Enlarge image
Formal ensemble
- Place of origin:
France (woven)
UK (made) - Date:
1765-1770 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
unknown (production)
- Materials and Techniques:
Silk, lined with horsehair, lined and backed with silk, hand-sewn
- Museum number:
T.137 to B-1932
- Gallery location:
In store
This formal man’s suit of about 1760 is probably made of French silk, patterned in cerise and cream. Such a luxurious material would have been worn for the most formal evening occasions, such as theatre or the opera. It is fairly lightweight, which suggests the suit was intended for summer wear. By 1760 the fronts of coats are starting to curve back. The side pleats are less voluminous than they were earlier in the century. The waistcoat has shortened to mid-thigh length. The collar seen on daywear is still absent in evening dress.
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