loom-width of woven silk, probably made in Lyon, 1760-1770

General
Loom-width of woven silk with a pale apple green cannellé ground brocaded with roses and other more fantastical flowers on fine stems. The large roses in full bloom are in graduated shades of red, from maroon through mid red to pink and white. The smaller roses are in two orangey reds and white. The other flowers are in two shades of green, white, and have a heart of yellow and orangey red. The sinuous stems and leaves are in two shades of green and white. The pattern is repeated twice across the width of the silk. Errors in the weaving of the ground are visible at irregular intervals from the bottom (see below).

The length of the panel has three and a half pattern repeats, and is such that it could have been used for the petticoat worn under the fashionable gown of the period. Creases at the top and bottom edges reveal they have been turned in at some point and the selvage is torn in places suggesting it has been nailed to something in the past. Comparison of the front and back reveals that the colours have not faded. The weight of the fabric is in line with furnishing fabrics of the 21st century but was used for both dress and furnishing in the 18th century.

Technical description (analysis by Natalie Rothstein at the time of acquisition)
Lampas cannellé ground, that is a flushing warp provides the textured effect in the ground, with one white pattern weft and all the other colours brocaded. Decoupure 4. The pattern weft only is bound in 3/1 twill by the binding warp which also appears between the floats of the cannellé ground.

The cannellé areas consist of floats of 8 pairs of threads. Since this is the main warp, the threads can be seen to work independently in the areas of the white pattern weft. The structure of this silk is complex - the twill is used to achieve an additional decorative texture rather than because it is needed to bind the floats of the pattern weft. There are four weaving faults where the floats have been extended for five instead of three shoots of weft. They fall 34, 37, 45 and 62 centimetres from the bottom edge of the silk.

Selvages are tabby with six outer cords 0.75 centimetres in width.

Registered File number 1986/77.

The illusionistic effect was achieved through clever handling of design. Usually manufacturers commissioned designers to produce sketches for approval each season. Those deemed appropriate for production were then translated into a technical drawing on graph paper on which the warp and weft threads were represented. The weaver received this technical drawing and used it to set up his loom or looms. Weavers would often only take on a commission if a minimum of three dress lengths was required, and they usually preferred to weave up at least four. In the case of a fabric like this, production was often speculative, manufacturers supplying retailers with lengths on credit and receiving payment several months later.

The beauty of this silk lies in the illusionistic effect created in the colouring and texturing of the ground, in which the white and green are combined in such a way that the surface appearance changes as light moves across it or as the viewer moves round it. It thus throws into relief the jewel-like colours of the flowers. Despite the beauty of the design, the weaver has made errors as he wove up the fabric.

This kind of silk was intended for dress, most probably for women's gowns but also possibly for men's nightgowns or banyans, the unstructured garment they wore to relax when at home. The length of this piece and the remnants of folds, and a slighly curved cut at the top, suggest it was originally used as a panel of a petticoat.

T.130-1986