Gown
1770s (block printing), 1780 - 1785 (sewing), 1785 - 1790 (altered)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
A woman's gown of glazed white cotton, block printed in an Indian-inspired pattern of interlinked undulating trails of exotic flowers in shades of pink, purple, yellow and green. The gown is open at the front, with shaped, elbow-length sleeves. The back is cut in 4 pieces, tapering to the waist. The bodice pieces are lined with bleached linen and stitched together; the sleeves are lined with a coarser linen. The lining seams are boned on either side (10 bones). A line of stitching in the front bodice linings below the neck forms a casing for narrow linen tape drawstrings. The skirt is made of 2 widths of cotton, with a partial panel at centre back. The skirt is finely flat-pleated into the waist seam.
The gown was probably made in the early 1780s with a pointed back and bodice meeting at centre front. In the late 1780s, the gown was altered to approximate the style of a robe à la turque. The bodice lining was unpicked from the bodice fronts. The fronts were cut away, and 3 buttons and button holes added to the remaining pieces. From the cut-away pieces, two bands were constructed and lined, and sewn to the cutaway edge of the bodice front at the waist. These have two buttons and button holes. In addition, the waist seam was unpicked at the back and the waistline raised and straightened. The hem at the skirt fronts was also taken up.
The gown was probably made in the early 1780s with a pointed back and bodice meeting at centre front. In the late 1780s, the gown was altered to approximate the style of a robe à la turque. The bodice lining was unpicked from the bodice fronts. The fronts were cut away, and 3 buttons and button holes added to the remaining pieces. From the cut-away pieces, two bands were constructed and lined, and sewn to the cutaway edge of the bodice front at the waist. These have two buttons and button holes. In addition, the waist seam was unpicked at the back and the waistline raised and straightened. The hem at the skirt fronts was also taken up.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Cotton, linen, linen thread, whalebone; hand-woven, block printed, and hand-sewn |
Brief description | A woman's gown, 1780-85, English; White cotton, block-printed with polychrome exotic flowers, 1770s, English; altered 1785-1796 |
Physical description | A woman's gown of glazed white cotton, block printed in an Indian-inspired pattern of interlinked undulating trails of exotic flowers in shades of pink, purple, yellow and green. The gown is open at the front, with shaped, elbow-length sleeves. The back is cut in 4 pieces, tapering to the waist. The bodice pieces are lined with bleached linen and stitched together; the sleeves are lined with a coarser linen. The lining seams are boned on either side (10 bones). A line of stitching in the front bodice linings below the neck forms a casing for narrow linen tape drawstrings. The skirt is made of 2 widths of cotton, with a partial panel at centre back. The skirt is finely flat-pleated into the waist seam. The gown was probably made in the early 1780s with a pointed back and bodice meeting at centre front. In the late 1780s, the gown was altered to approximate the style of a robe à la turque. The bodice lining was unpicked from the bodice fronts. The fronts were cut away, and 3 buttons and button holes added to the remaining pieces. From the cut-away pieces, two bands were constructed and lined, and sewn to the cutaway edge of the bodice front at the waist. These have two buttons and button holes. In addition, the waist seam was unpicked at the back and the waistline raised and straightened. The hem at the skirt fronts was also taken up. |
Dimensions |
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Production type | Unique |
Gallery label | The British cotton from which this dress is made is block-printed with trails of flowers. The dress was later altered to give it a more fashionable appearance. Garments from this period often show signs of updating and repair. Clothing was valued and not disposed of so readily as today.(21/04/2018 - 27/01/2019) |
Credit line | Given by Cecily FitzHerbert of Bakewell, Derbyshire (as requested in the original correspondence by Dr. Joan FitzHerbert). |
Object history | RF 71/30. |
Collection | |
Accession number | T.20-1971 |
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Record created | June 24, 2009 |
Record URL |
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