Petticoat Piece-Goods
3rd quarter 18th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This bed-cover has been adapted from a length of fabric originally intended to be made into a skirt. The arcades enclosing European figures are a variation on the typical petticoat design of the mid-18th century. The fabric was apparently never made up as a skirt but converted into a flat bedspread, in which the arcaded border would hang down around the sides of the bed, and the borderless top end would be tucked in at the bed-head.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Painted and dyed cotton chintz |
Brief description | Bedspread made out of a petticoat of painted and dyed cotton chintz, South Coromandel Coast, 3rd quarter of 18th century |
Physical description | Bedspread made out of a petticoat length of painted and dyed cotton chintz. Decorated with floral garlands. Border decorated with scenes with figures and animals. Four scenes repeat alternately: a promenade with umbrella and lute, two figures seated at a gateleg table arranging flowers, two figures seated beneath a chandelier with one playing a dulcimer and the other a flute, and two figures seated at a gateleg table taking refreshments. At the selvage edges is a blue band. There are 13 short brocaded shots of red cotton indicating where the design begins. The bedspread is composed of two long petticoat pieces joined down the centre. The end border is composed of a carefully applied piece from another section of the petticoat's border. |
Dimensions |
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Credit line | Given by G. P. Baker |
Object history | Intended for the patterned underskirts worn with open robes of the period, the fabric was made in India, probably under Dutch patronage. Later converted into a bedspread. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This bed-cover has been adapted from a length of fabric originally intended to be made into a skirt. The arcades enclosing European figures are a variation on the typical petticoat design of the mid-18th century. The fabric was apparently never made up as a skirt but converted into a flat bedspread, in which the arcaded border would hang down around the sides of the bed, and the borderless top end would be tucked in at the bed-head. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | IS.42-1950 |
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Record created | December 15, 1999 |
Record URL |
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