Gown

Date1780-1790

MediumSilk woven stripe, needleworked with silk; trimmed with silk lace; lined with linen and silk.

DimensionsA. OL 72" Waist approx 22" B. OL approx 45"

Credit LineGift of Mrs. Cora Ginsburg

Object number1991-470,A&B

DescriptionWoman's gown and matching petticoat of cream color self striped woven silk, embroidered on skirt and lower petticoat with multicolor floral bouquets, with iris flowers predominating. Gown (A) has low rounded neckline, cone-shaped bodice laced up the front with boning at the eyelets. Three-quarter length sleeves end in multiple silk lace ruffles (possibly replaced). Back bodice has narrow shoulders and terminates at waist in a deep V extending down below waist at center back. (Gown skirt does not extend in one from back bodice pleats.) Full skirt is pleated to bodice, with a trained back. Skirt is open at front, and is trimmed with needlework and silk lace. Petticoat (B) is pleated to a narrow band and embroidered on the front and sides with a wide band of floral embroidery with iris flowers predominating. Silk hem facing.
Label TextThis gown is an object of great beauty. The fine silk-embroidered design of iris flowers is shaded in subtle tones from purple to lavender. Complimentary accents of yellow and other colors brighten the effect. The lustrous striped silk ground gives texture and interest to the unembroidered areas. While today's viewer appreciates the beauty, the gown offers additional avenues to study construction, history, and meaning. The gown is clearly of the period around 1780 to 1790, when stays molded the woman's torso into a smooth line from the 22-inch waist to the prominent chest. The emphasis on chest and buttocks gave a fashionable S-curve to the body. This silhouette is unlike today's aesthetic, yet gives modern viewers insight into what people considered beautiful in the past. From a construction standpoint, the gown has triangular fabric inserts at the back of the waist, features that are characteristic of French dressmaking techniques. Undoubtedly, future students will ask (and learn) much more. The identity of the wearer and occasion for wearing the dress might become known through research or advanced analysis, such as DNA testing or other methods as yet unimagined.