Dress Fabric
ca. 1740 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Traces of pleats show that this panel of silk was originally part of a woman's gown. Although it does not contain any gold or silver thread, it would have been recognised as expensive fabric by an eighteenth century viewer, because of the complexity of its weave, with thirteen different colours making up the pattern. The colours have been brocaded.
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.
In this silk there is an element of fantasy with plants of different scale juxtaposed, but most have been drawn to resemble real trees and flowers, including cherry blossom, rose buds, and tulips, with the variegated colouring in their petals that made them so popular with plant collectors.
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.
In this silk there is an element of fantasy with plants of different scale juxtaposed, but most have been drawn to resemble real trees and flowers, including cherry blossom, rose buds, and tulips, with the variegated colouring in their petals that made them so popular with plant collectors.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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Materials and techniques | Brocaded silk |
Brief description | Dress fabric, Brocaded silk, 1740s, England |
Physical description | Plain woven pink silk, with white silk supplementary weft. Brocaded in 13 colours, with complex binding within the brocading. Selvedges : pale blue stripe, white stripe, pink and blue cords (right, blue cords (left). |
Dimensions |
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Credit line | Given by C K Probert |
Production | . |
Summary | Traces of pleats show that this panel of silk was originally part of a woman's gown. Although it does not contain any gold or silver thread, it would have been recognised as expensive fabric by an eighteenth century viewer, because of the complexity of its weave, with thirteen different colours making up the pattern. The colours have been brocaded. 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. In this silk there is an element of fantasy with plants of different scale juxtaposed, but most have been drawn to resemble real trees and flowers, including cherry blossom, rose buds, and tulips, with the variegated colouring in their petals that made them so popular with plant collectors. |
Collection | |
Accession number | 1746&A-1869 |
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Record created | May 11, 2007 |
Record URL |
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