- Visit

- The Museum

- The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres

- Oldfields - Lilly House & Gardens

- Gardens & Greenhouse

- The Toby

- Miller House & Garden

- Family Visits
- Adult Group Tours
- Accessibility
- The Museum
- Events & Programs

- Exhibitions

- Collections

- Search the Collection
- Browse the Collection

- African Art
- American Painting and Sculpture to 1945
- Ancient Art of the Americas
- Ancient Art of the Mediterranean
- Architectural Sites
- Asian Art
- Contemporary Art
- Decorative Arts
- Design Arts
- European Painting and Sculpture to 1945
- Native American Art
- Oceanic Art
- Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
- Textile and Fashion Arts
- Conservation

- Deaccessioned Artworks
- Recent Acquisitions
- Research

- Give & Join

- About

- CalendarShopLogin
Culture
English
Creation date
about 1750
Materials
silk brocade
Dimensions
L: 54 3/4 in.
Credit line
Mr. and Mrs. William R. Spurlock Fund
Accession number
1988.5
Collection
Not Currently On View
The brocaded fabric of this gown, manufactured in the Spitalfields area near London, dates between 1743–1753. In this period naturalistic depiction of flowers scattered all over the ground pattern were popular. The realistic renderings of single roses, tiger lilies and tulips were most likely inspired by flowers in the nursery gardens of experimental horticulturists near Spitalfields.
The style of this dress follows the English fashion of the time where the back pleats are sewn in place on the bodice and then the pleats are released into the skirt. The skirt opens at the front and reveals a matching petticoat. The wide skirts of these fashionable dresses were held out by hoops on either side of the hips, known as panniers, a French term that translates to basket.
(Cora Ginsberg, Inc.) Tarrytown, New York; purchased by Indianapolis Museum of Art (Mr and Mrs. R. Spurlock Fund), June 23, 1988.
