Flounce
mid 18th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This fine, deep lace flounce may have been intended for a dress, but was probably used to decorate a bed or dressing-table. Such extravagant use of lace could only be afforded by royalty or the very wealthy, who might expect to receive visitors in their bedrooms or dressing rooms. Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, paid more than £1000 for lace to cover her dressing table in 1764, an enormous sum of money at that time.
Evidence from paintings and inventories suggests that such lace would be lined with silk of a rich contrasting colour, often pink or crimson, enhancing the effect of the pattern. The design here of meandering exotic flowers reflects closely the types of pattern seen in the silks and embroideries used for fashionable clothing in this period.
Evidence from paintings and inventories suggests that such lace would be lined with silk of a rich contrasting colour, often pink or crimson, enhancing the effect of the pattern. The design here of meandering exotic flowers reflects closely the types of pattern seen in the silks and embroideries used for fashionable clothing in this period.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Needle lace worked in linen thread |
| Brief description | Deep flounce of needlepoint lace worked in linen thread, possibly made in France or Brussels, mid 18th century |
| Physical description | Deep flounce of needle lace worked in linen thread. White and with stylised flowers on an open réseau ground. Gently scalloped lower edge and with a bobbin-made footing. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given from the collection of Mary, Viscountess Harcourt GBE |
| Summary | This fine, deep lace flounce may have been intended for a dress, but was probably used to decorate a bed or dressing-table. Such extravagant use of lace could only be afforded by royalty or the very wealthy, who might expect to receive visitors in their bedrooms or dressing rooms. Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, paid more than £1000 for lace to cover her dressing table in 1764, an enormous sum of money at that time. Evidence from paintings and inventories suggests that such lace would be lined with silk of a rich contrasting colour, often pink or crimson, enhancing the effect of the pattern. The design here of meandering exotic flowers reflects closely the types of pattern seen in the silks and embroideries used for fashionable clothing in this period. |
| Bibliographic reference | Lace from the Victoria and Albert Museum, by Clare Browne, 2004, pl.53 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.22-1965 |
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| Record created | January 27, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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