Yellow lampas gown fragment

Status

Not on view

Date1718-1730

Medium/TechniqueSilk, Lampas

DimensionsOverall: 8 7/8 in. × 7 3/4 in. (22.54 cm × 19.69 cm)

Credit LinePurchased by the A. Alfred Taubman Acquisition Endowment Fund and partial gift of an anonymous donor, 2004

Object numberW-2780/C

DescriptionThis yellow silk lampas fragment is part of a point repeat design (a reverse repeat, mirrored across the central axis), containing a central bouquet motif with tulips, berries, pineapples, and pomegranates in a vase. The central motif is flanked by serpentine vines featuring berries and grape leafs. Various geometric diaper patterns are used to fill the floral elements. Based on comparison with other fragments of this fabric which contain a selvedge, the original width of the fabric was approximately 20.5 -21". The vertical repeat of the design is approximately 15.5".

The fabric is plain woven with supplementary warps and thicker wefts, causing a very slight ribbing. The warp floats are Z-spun, and the weft floats are unspun and show a 4/1 satin stitch. The revers of the fabric shows only plain weave, with evidence of the weft design visible only by the binding points of the satin stitch.

This piece shows only the serpentine vine motif that runs parallel to the right selvedge. The selvedge is still present on the right edge of the fragment, however all but 3" of the selvedge is pressed to the back. Two green stripes are woven into the selvedge. There is evidence of a removed seam along the selvedge, with both stitch holes are remaining thread. The thread is Z-spun 2-ply-S yellow silk and is present in other fragments from the same fabric.

The fragment shows very little fading. The satin woven elements of the design are more lustrous than both the ground and the warp floats: this is probably due to the fact that the yarns are unspun while the warp yarns are z-spun. The satin woven elements are also more unevenly faded that the other elements, which might be evidence of a different dye formula.

The top edge shows significant unraveling, and a slit has been cut into the left edge. There are red-brown stains throughout that are also evident in many of the other fragments from the same fabric in the MVLA collection.

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