Purple and yellow floral gown fragment

Status

Not on view

Date1745-1755

Geography Possibly made - France

Medium/TechniqueSilk

DimensionsOverall: 3 3/4 in. × 2 3/4 in. (9.53 cm × 6.99 cm)

Credit LineGift of Miss Chapman, 1890

Object numberW-544/C

DescriptionThis silk fragment features an asymmetrical design with semi-naturalistic daisy sprouts (in sprigs of three), a small amount of diaper patterning, and curvilinear line segments with scallops on the top and zig-zags on the bottom placed diagonally throughout the design. Each curvilinear line ends at a daisy bloom. The design is asymmetrical, and the vertical repeat is very small (2 1/4 inches), which is characteristic of the mid-century retreat from naturalism.

Though the fragment is significantly faded, other fragment from the same fabric indicate the piece was originally deep maroon, purple, and yellow. The ground color is achieved by a plain weave of maroon warp and purple weft, and the visible weft is switch to yellow for the daisies' petals and some of the line segment design. The rest of the details are brocaded in through the use of floats: interestingly, the piece uses both weft floats and warp floats.

Three segments of linen thread are inserted into various places of the fragment. While now brown, it is highly likely that the thread was maroon to match the ground color.

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