Metallic Brocade with Asymmetrical Floral Design
1739-1759
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Metallic Brocade with Asymmetrical Floral Design
1739-1759
Physical Qualities
Silk, metallic-wrapped silk supplementary wefts
, 134 x 21-1/4 in. (340.5 X 54 cm.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Saidie A. May
Object Number
1951.151b
A long length of gold silk 'brocade.' Asymmetrical floral designs woven in several kinds of metallic threads depict flowers with curly silver petals, darker metallic sepals, greenish metallic leaves and undulating stems. These are created by supplementary metallic-wrapped wefts which form patterns on the front and float across restricted areas of pattern on the reverse. The floral motifs are scattered over the surface of the textile in undulating patterns. A secondary pattern of leafy branches and lace-like effects is woven in weft floats in the same gold color as the background.
The two sides are selvages. The bottom edge is straight cut. The top is irregular with a long curved cut edge proceeding into a long narrow irregular strip along one selvage edge.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by gift, 1951; Saidie May.
Susan Helen Adler, "Saidie May Pioneer of Early 20th Century Collecting" Baltimore: Stonehouse Design, 2008, p. 230.
Richard Glazier, Historic Textile Fabrics: A Short History of the Tradition and Development of Pattern in Woven & Printed Stuffs, London: B.T. Batsford, Ltd., 1923, p. 83, pl. 66, pl. 67. Museé Historique des Tissus, Lyon, 1985, n.p., figs. 132, 134, 135. Peggy Stolz Gilfoy, Fabrics in Celebration from the Collection, Indianapolis: Indianapolis Museum of Art, 1983, p. 58, cat. #124, p. 280. Natalie Rothstein, The Victoria & Albert Museum's Textile Collection: Woven Textile Design in Britain From 1750-1850, New York: Canopy Books/Abbeville Publishing, 1994, p. 17; p. 27, pl. 1. Natalie Rothstein, Silk Designs of the Eighteenth Century in the Collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1990, for general reference. Peter Thornton, Baroque and Rococo Silks, London: Faber and Faber, 1965, pp. 125-131, figs. 80A&B, 84A, 85A&B, 86A&B, 88A&B, 92B, 94A&B, 95A&B, and 96A&B. Jennifer Harris (ed.), Textiles, 5,000 Years: An International History and Illustrated Survey, N.Y.: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1993, pp. 182-183, fig. 212.
Inscribed: None.
