Terms and conditions of use
Corset
(1770-1780)
Medium
silk, baleen, silk stitching
Measurements
38.0 cm (height) 79.0 cm (width, flat)
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, 1984
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
Originally referred to as ‘stays’ till the late eighteenth century, corsets were conceived as a physical support before becoming foundational to women’s dress. By the late eighteenth century, corsets were worn by women of all classes over a simple chemise and under the maindress. This example features horizontal lines of boning, creating a rounded form. Silhouettes also became angled, signalling the transition from long conical stays to shorter, softer corsets with low necklines that emphasised the bust. They also evince the shift from serpentine forms towards the Neoclassical and Empire bustlines of the Regency era.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
(Scotland)
Accession Number
CT38-1984
Department
International Fashion and Textiles
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Professor AGL Shaw AO Bequest