Bodice
- Place of origin:
England, Great Britain (made)
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
- Materials and Techniques:
Linen, cord quilted and embroidered with silk thread
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
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This is the front of a woman’s informal bodice of the early 18th century, intended for wearing under a loose robe open at the front. The back of the bodice, which has not survived, would probably have been made of plain linen. An embroidered pattern of exotic birds with large blossoms and leaves covers the front. It combines stylistic elements of chinoiserie design in the birds and aspects of late 17th century English embroidery in the flowers and leaves. The background is cord quilted, a quilting technique where instead of padding, thin cords are inserted between parallel lines of stitching.
Physical description
Front of a linen bodice, corded and embroidered with coloured silks in a pattern of exotic birds and large flowers and leaves. The ground is quilted with yellow silk in an imbricated pattern. The lining has been removed. There are three yellow silk tapes for tying.
Place of Origin
England, Great Britain (made)
Date
1700-1729 (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Linen, cord quilted and embroidered with silk thread
Dimensions
Length: 22.25 in, Width: 10.25 in greatest of one side
Object history note
Displayed in Costume Court, 1962-1979.
Purchased. Registered File number 10961/1902 and 81754/1902.
Descriptive line
Bodice front, linen, cord quilted and embroidered with silk thread, England, 1700-1729
Exhibition History
The Wild, the Beautiful and the Damned (Historic Royal Palaces 05/04/2012-30/09/2012)
Labels and date
Bodice Front
Linen embroidered and quilted with coloured silks
English, early 18th century
494-1902
This women's informal bodice was first embroidered with a design combining exotic birds in the Chinoiserie style with large blossoms and leaves more often found in large English furnishings. It was then quilted in a technique known as cord quilting in which narrow cords are inserted between the lines of stitching to create a slightly raised ground. The back of the bodice, which has not survive, would probably have been a plain fabric and would have been concealed by an outer robe.
Materials
Silk thread; Linen (material)
Techniques
Embroidered; Cord quilting
Subjects depicted
Birds; Flowers (plants)
Categories
Embroidery; Fashion; Women's clothes
Collection code
T&F
