Image Robe thumbnail 1
Image Robe thumbnail 2
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Not currently on display at the V&A

Image Robe

1600s (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Image robe for a statue, converted from two women’s smocks of partially bleached linen. The body of the smock has a high, square neck and is made of 2 rectangles with triangular side gores and square gussets. It is embroidered along the seams with yellow, pink, red, blue and purple silks in floral sprigs outlined with backstitch. The sleeves are rectangles gathered into the necklines and cuffs. There are embroidered in a different pattern of repeating floral sprigs with silk thread in white, red, purple, yellow and shades of pink, blue and green, with satin stitch and couched yellow silk cord. The sleeves are lined with coarse unbleached linen. The neck and cuffs are edged with ¾-inch (1.8 cm) wide bobbin lace of red, yellow and green silk. The hem is edged with ½-inch (1.3 cm) wide bobbin lace of yellow and pink silk. Lengths of ¼-inch (6 mm) wide woven lace [braid] in pink and yellow linen fasten the cuffs.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Linen, silk thread; hand-woven, hand-embroidered, hand-sewn
Brief description
Smock for a statue, 1600s, Italian; linen embroidered with coloured silks floral sprigs, woven braid trimming.
Physical description
Image robe for a statue, converted from two women’s smocks of partially bleached linen. The body of the smock has a high, square neck and is made of 2 rectangles with triangular side gores and square gussets. It is embroidered along the seams with yellow, pink, red, blue and purple silks in floral sprigs outlined with backstitch. The sleeves are rectangles gathered into the necklines and cuffs. There are embroidered in a different pattern of repeating floral sprigs with silk thread in white, red, purple, yellow and shades of pink, blue and green, with satin stitch and couched yellow silk cord. The sleeves are lined with coarse unbleached linen. The neck and cuffs are edged with ¾-inch (1.8 cm) wide bobbin lace of red, yellow and green silk. The hem is edged with ½-inch (1.3 cm) wide bobbin lace of yellow and pink silk. Lengths of ¼-inch (6 mm) wide woven lace [braid] in pink and yellow linen fasten the cuffs.
Dimensions
  • Overall length: 118.0cm (approx)
  • Overall width: 137.5cm (approx)
Collection
Accession number
T.770-1919

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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