Waistcoat
1730–40
This richly embroidered waistcoat is an example of lavish European court dress. The bright yellow colour was fashionable for both men and women. The generous length and the pocket flaps allowed for rich decoration. The design includes Rococo motifs such as a sinuous pattern of scrolling leaves, but the bold treatment and large scale of the vegetation are more characteristic of the earlier Baroque style. The metal threads, when new, would have created a glittering effect.
France or England
Satin embroidered with silk and silver thread, strip and spangles
[09/12/2015]