Images(10)

Robe à la Piétmontaise

Dateca. 1785

Maker Unidentified

OriginAsia, China (textile) and England (probably) (gown)

MediumSilk, Linen

DimensionsBust: 37 inches, Waist: 35 inches, Center Front: 41 inches, Overall Length from back: 52 inches, Selvage Width: 28 inches

Credit LineMuseum Purchase, The Friends of Colonial Williamsburg Collections Fund

Object number2021-13

DescriptionRobe à la Piétmontaise made from a white, teal, and floral striped silk made in China. The gown closes down center front with lacing edges attached to the interior of the bodice made from a very course white linen not found anywhere else in the garment. The lower section of the bodice has a series of three tabs to each side of center front, however the furthest tab is tucked up into bodice. The bodice also retains its original buttons and silk tapes to loop up the gown. A narrow linen tape is tacked across the lower back of the gown. The right sleeve retains most of its original lining except for a small replacement piece at the elbow, however the left sleeve appears to have been fully relined with the same material that interfaces the sack and lower portion of the gown skirt. The sleeves have been heavily reworked at the lower edge. The skirt was fully lined, but only a portion remains. The upper 1/3 was interfaced in a very course white linen. This material extends through the sack to the back of the neck, interfacing the detached sack. The thin silk covers roughly 2/3 of the lower portion of the gown and comes up almost to the waist at the center front. The trim down the center front is pleated and stuffed, while the trim around the neck is just pleated. All the edges of trim are simply turned under once and the fringe applied to exterior with a heavy silk thread.

Construction History:
1.Late 1770s: Initial Construction would have probably been a center front closing sack back gown, with three tabs to either side of the waist.
2.Ca. 1785: Gown was remodeled into a Robe à la Piétmontaise. This was an extensive remaking with the removal of the bodice from the gown skirt. The back was completely remade into the fitted back style and the sack, interlined with linen which continues from the neck, down through the interior waistline of the gown. The sleeves may have also been removed and altered as the right sleeve is completely relined and reset. The waist was slightly altered and the third tab tucked up into the bodice.
3.Post 1785: Loss of large sections of the gown skirt lining.

Label TextIn 1778. the Gallerie des Modes et Costumes Français first reported and pictured the gown known as the Robe à la Piétmontaise. The editors wrote "Young Lady of Lyon is dressed in a taffeta gown known as Costume à la Piedmontoise, trimmed with the same fabric.... this fashion took its origin in the theater of Lyon during the stay of her royal highness, Madame Clotilde de France, Princess of Piedmont, in 1775." They further added, "these robes have pleats at the back, like the robes a la francaise, but these pleats are applied after cutting, like the skirts of the robe, & form a type of mantal (manteau) which attaches at the back, at the top of the neck; this manteau is left to hang: sometimes the ladies wrap their bodies in it, or raise it up under the arms with much grace."