jacket

Summary

Lightweight cotton calico jacket-bodice, in Indian painted cotton, made for the Dutch market. Small scale scrolling floral pattern typical of prints for the Dutch taste in the later 17th century. Fabric produced by mordant-painting the cotton, dyed in madder to give 2 shades of dark purple. Pattern based on a repeat unit transferred to the fabric by a pricking and pouncing technique. Outline was painted with mordant paste with freehand detailing. Construction is European, probably around 1700, as seen in the very small pieces of linen lining, rentered together, and in the white metal wire hooks and eyes sewn with a heavy linen thread. Jacket has long sleeves and is fitted over the hips with 3 large gores; piecing to outer fabric, showing 2 distinct print fades; decorative black over-stitching following several seams on the outer fabric; no collar or revers, fronts arching right round the neck; woven braid around fronts, neck and cuffs, in a star, crown and heart design. Very similar fabric illustrated p71 in Le Coton et la mode, Musee Galliera, 2000, dated 1660-1700. For similar jacket see plate 119a in Origins of Chintz, provenanced Coromandel coast, early 18th century.