Dress fabric
- Place of origin:
Spitalfields, England (made)
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
Anna Maria Garthwaite, born 1690 - died 1763 (designer)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 52b, case 1
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Object Type
This fabric, intended for ladies' gowns, is a brocaded silk tobine. The technique of brocading allowed different colours to be introduced into the pattern of a fabric in specific, sometimes very small areas. It was a more laborious process for the weaver than using patterning wefts running from selvedge to selvedge, but the resulting effect could be much more varied and lively. The additional effect which makes this silk a tobine is the pattern in the ground, created with an extra warp which in some fabrics is of contrasting colour but in this case is the same colour as the ground.
People
The Mr Vautier who commissioned the design for this silk and is named on it in Anna Maria Garthwaite's inscription is probably Daniel Vautier, one of at least three generations of Huguenot weavers of the same name, who lived in Steward Street, Spitalfields. The Vautier family originally came from Luneray in Normandy, France, and many were involved in the English silk industry in both London and Canterbury. The Daniel Vautier probably responsible for this silk was a master weaver with a number of journeyman weavers in his employment.
Physical description
The silk has a cream ground elaborately textured with a self-coloured pattern including flowers and chequered meandering trails. The brocaded pattern has a straight repeat of 26". It depicts scattered flower sprays in shades of pink, blue, purple, yellow, brown and green; the flowers include lilies, auricula, convolvulus and sweet peas. The colours on the silk are slightly different from those on the original design.
The panel has been taken from a dress, with two seams and evidence of pleating at the top. It has just over one complete repeat of the pattern, and is complete selvedge to selvedge. The selvedge is cream, .25 " wide. The colours are very fresh.
Place of Origin
Spitalfields, England (made)
Date
1749 (made)
Artist/maker
Anna Maria Garthwaite, born 1690 - died 1763 (designer)
Materials and Techniques
Brocaded silk tobine
Dimensions
Length: 104.5 cm, Width: 52 cm
Object history note
Designed by Anna Maria Garthwaite (born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, 1690, died in London, 1763). Woven in Spitalfields, London, after the design 5987.1, dated March 1 1749, for the master weaver Mr Vautier.
Purchased. Registered File number 1996/627.
Descriptive line
Dress fabric, brocaded silk, designed by Anna Maria Garthwaite, from design 5987.1, woven in Spitalfields, London, England, 1749.
Exhibition History
Two Centuries of British Fashion. From the Collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (Moscow Kremlin Museums 05/09/2008-17/11/2008)
Labels and date
British Galleries:
Anna Maria Garthwaite designed this silk for the master weaver Mr Vautier. The Vautiers were a Huguenot family who came to Spitalfields from Normandy in France, via Canterbury. Daniel Vautier was one of Garthwaite's best customers, buying 122 of her designs between 1741 and 1751. [27/03/2003]
Production Note
Woven in Spitalfields, London
Materials
Silk (textile)
Techniques
Brocading
Subjects depicted
Floral patterns
Categories
Textiles
Collection code
T&F
