Robe a l’angalise
(c. 1760)
Medium
silk, linen and metal (fastenings)
Measurements
134.0 cm (centre back) 68.0 cm (waist, flat)
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Tamahine Forster, 2021
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
The robe à l’anglaise was a fashionable silhouette in both England and Europe from the 1770s–80s. Characterised by its tailored bodice with a fitted back, the style reflects the fervour for Anglomania during the period while the full rectangular skirt is inspired by Spanish designs of the period century. This example is constructed from a luxurious silk from Spitalfields, a district in London renowned for specialised silk weaving. The Spitalfields weavers produced limited quantities to maintain exclusivity; this work is made from a blue tobine weave, embellished with brocaded flowers.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
(England)
Inscription
label, centre back neckline, inscribed in pen and ink on cream linen: Helen Swift
Accession Number
2021.223
Department
International Fashion and Textiles