Yellow silk damask fragment

Status

Not on view

Datec. 1750

Medium/TechniqueSilk

DimensionsOverall: 2 11/16 in. × 4 3/4 in. (6.83 cm × 12.07 cm)

Credit LineGift of William Bradley Willard, Jr., Mrs. William Bradley Willard, Sr., Mrs. John Carsten Chapin, and Mrs. Huntington T. Block, in the memory of William Bradley Willard, Sr., 1992

Object numberW-3648

DescriptionThis yellow silk achieves a damask effect through a lampas weave: on the obverse, the motif shows the plain woven side while the ground shows the satin woven side, while on the reverse the opposite is true. The plain weave is warp faced, as is the 3/1 satin weave. The yarns are S-spun, and a slight ribbing is achieved by the use of thick warps.

The design features semi-naturalistic florals with geometric motifs, such as zig-zags and triangles, filling in the petals and other elements. The ground between the motif is filled with a diaper patterning in imitation of lace. This triangular fragment shows some inter-motif diaper patterning, berries, and flower petals decorated with a checker board pattern.

The curved edge shows evidence of having been pressed down, which could indicate the placement of a seam. There are 6 pin holes along the top edge and wear along the crease on the reverse.

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