Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Not currently on display at the V&A
On short term loan out for exhibition

Homme en robe de Chambre

Fashion Plate
circa 1680 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This print by Jacques Le Peutre shows a man wearing a banyan, an informal long loose gown worn by gentlemen over clothes; such gowns were worn at least as early as the 16th century but became more fashionable in the 18th century. The gowns were believed to have originated in Asia or the Orient where the loose style and decorative silk, calico or chintz fabric of which they were often made were more common.



They were usually worn wrapped round the body like a kimono, sometimes fastened at the waist with a belt, but those resembling a coat secured with buttons also existed.



A gentleman would wear a banyan in the morning, often when receiving guests informally. Banyans were worn mostly indoors as a lounging garment, but by the late 18th century, under the influence of Romanticism, were sometimes also worn outside.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleHomme en robe de Chambre (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Engraving
Brief description
'Homme en robe de Chambre', etching and engraving by Jean Le Pautre, late 17th century
Physical description
Plate depicting men's costume of the late 17th century. Lettered with title and 'le Pautre delin. et sculp. cum Privil. Regis ce vende sous les Charnier Sts. Inocens'.
Dimensions
  • Height: 295mm
  • Width: 193mm
Marks and inscriptions
'le Pautre delin. et sculp. cum Privil. Regis ce vende sous les Charnier Sts. Inocens' (Lettered with title and)
Credit line
Given by the House of Worth
Object history
This print is part of a very large collection of reference material including fashion plates, engravings, original drawings and illustrations that were collected by the fashion design house of Paquin at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries. Many bear the stamp of Paquin's archivist at the time. They were acquired by the V&A in 1957 when, following the closure of the combined houses of Paquin and Worth, the Worth/Paquin archives and design books were donated to the Museum.
Subject depicted
Summary
This print by Jacques Le Peutre shows a man wearing a banyan, an informal long loose gown worn by gentlemen over clothes; such gowns were worn at least as early as the 16th century but became more fashionable in the 18th century. The gowns were believed to have originated in Asia or the Orient where the loose style and decorative silk, calico or chintz fabric of which they were often made were more common.



They were usually worn wrapped round the body like a kimono, sometimes fastened at the waist with a belt, but those resembling a coat secured with buttons also existed.



A gentleman would wear a banyan in the morning, often when receiving guests informally. Banyans were worn mostly indoors as a lounging garment, but by the late 18th century, under the influence of Romanticism, were sometimes also worn outside.
Bibliographic reference
Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings Accessions 1957-1958 London: HMSO, 1964
Collection
Accession number
E.21429-1957

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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