Painted silk garments and textile fragments from the 18th century

Met 36.142, silk painted in China for the French market

Met 1995.235a, b, robe à la française, British, 1740s

Royal Ontario Museum 925.18.1.A, robe à la française with petticoat, made in England of Chinese export fabric, 1745-1750

National Trust 1362936.1/1362936.2, a sack-backed gown with matching petticoat in “mid 18th century Chinese yellow silk painted with large fantastic flowering plant”

Met 2013.599, mid-18th century length of painted silk, made in China

Met 1971.136.1, silk painted in China for the French market, c. 1750-1760

Met C.I.54.70a, b, robe à la française, French, 1750-1775

Art Institute of Chicago 1990.221, painted silk made in China for the European or American market, c. 1750-1775

V&A T.593:1 to 5-1999, robe à la française (sack back), made in London from silk woven and painted in Guangdong, China, 1760-1765

McCord Museum M973.93.1.1-5, robe à la française (the wedding dress of Mary Chaloner), made of silk woven and painted in China, 1763

V&A T.115&A-1953, robe à la française (sack back gown), made in Great Britain from silk painted in China, 1760-1770

Christie’s Sale 5577, Lot 9, an open robe, stomacher and petticoat of Chinese painted silk, 1760s with some reworking in the 1770s

Meg Andrews 8331, a 1770s robe a la anglais made of silk painted in China in the 1750 or 1760s; “The design was drawn in ink and the areas to be painted covered with white lead, then pigments such as malachite (green) and orphiment (yellow) and vermillion (red) and lead white are used … A taffeta silk painted in the 1760s with mid blue, pale blue and ivory convolvulus trellis enclosing sprays of eight different flowers including orange honeysuckle, pinks and roses in deep pink and mauve and a blue star shaped flower.

Meg Andrews 8696, a 1770s sack back gown (robe a la francaise) made of hand-painted Chinese silk from the 1760s; “One unusual feature is that the flowers are very much recognisable British flowers, such as roses, carnations (pinks) and lilac, rather than Chinese species … The placing of the design of the silk on the bodice and sleeves has been considered with matching pattern. This is not always the case on 18th century gowns where the design can be quite randomly placed … The ivory silk taffetta hand painted with outlines in ink and painted with pigments. Naturalistic and delicate large flower sprays including roses, carnations or pinks, lilac, bell shaped flowers and others amongst garlands of small flowerheads, using deep pink, dull purple, lemon, mid blue, and two shades of green pigments, the woven selvedges in yellow.”

National Trust 1363751, “sack-backed gown of Chinese silk painted with flower posies, birds and butterflies on natural ground,” c. 1770

Colonial Williamsburg 1993-330,A, painted Chinese silk woman’s gown, assembled in France c. 1770

Maryland Historical Society 1958.3.8, painted silk dress from silk made and painted in China, probably assembled in London, 1770-1780

MFA 43.1644a-f, robe à la française (formal dress and petticoat), French, Chinese silk, 1770-1780

Philadelphia Art Museum 1942-33-2, robe à la française (painted silk dress), c. 1770

MFA 43.1633a-d, court dress (robe à la française and petticoat), French, Chinese yellow silk taffeta, 1770s

Meg Andrews 8174, silk painted by Pheobe Holmes, 1770s

Painted silk textiles in the Colonial Williamsburg collection, c. 1770-1780: 2020-22, 2020-23, 2020-24

Meg Andrews 8174, painted dress silk, 1770s; “These delightful pieces of rare hand painted silk are signed painted by Pheobe Holmes … The ivory silk taffetta hand painted with large ribbon swags in blue green, entwined with a variety of naturalistic flowers including roses, daffodils, primula, morning glory and myrtle, with similar but larger specimens scattered on the ground between the swags.”

KCI AC5312 86-8-1AC, robe à la française, pink silk taffeta with painted garlands, France, 1780

Met 1976.146a, b, robe à la polonaise, French, 1780

American History Museum 1987.0080, Martha Washington’s dress; “The gown’s basic style is typical of the early 1780s. The painted pattern on the silk taffeta is a repeat of four floral bouquets and 58 creatures (butterflies, ants, beetles, snails, bees, grasshoppers, wasps, ladybugs, spiders, and grubs) places within the spaces between the ribbon-trellis pattern. Each crossover is accented with a painted green jewel. The fabric displays characteristics common to 18th-century hand-painted Chinese textiles: fluid brush strokes, white lead base coat of paint, green malachite pigment for the jewels, and a 30-inch selvage-to-selvage width.”

Met 1970.87a, b, robe à la polonaise, yellow silk, American, 1780-1785

V&A T.108-195, “a woman’s gown of cream silk lustring painted with sprays of naturalistic flowers and butterflies”; silk painted in Great Britain, gown sewn in Scotland c. 1780-1785

Philadelphia Art Museum 1913-251, a calash made of printed and painted silk taffeta, made in the United States c. 1780-1790

KCI AC313 77-12-28AB, robe à l'anglaise, white hand-painted china silk, 1785

KCI AC3837 81-15-2AD, robe à l'anglaise, silk handpainted in China in the 1760s and made into a dress in England c. 1785

Historic Deerfield F.287, robe à l’anglaise made c. 1785 from plain weave cream silk made in painted in China c. 1750-1785

Manchester 1952.365/2, open gown and petticoat, silk painted in China and exported to Britain, where it was made into a gown by a mantua-maker 1785-1795; shows signs of contemorary alteration and was worn as late as 1806

Met 39.135, silk painted in China for the French market, late 18th century

Philadelphia Art Museum 1897-666, painted textile from a dress, made in China for export to the Western market, c. 1788

Met 20.56.27, silk painted in China for the French market, c. 1788-1790

MFA 50.147, length of painted silk, made in China in the 1790s

MFA 43696a and 43.69b, a painted silk carnival hood and bag

John Bright Collection, an 1840s dress made with silk painted in mid-18th century China

References to painted silk

“MRS. Dickſon, from Scotland, lodging at Mrs. Harper’s, at the Corner in Second-ſtreet, propoſes this Winter to teach young Ladies to draw in every Kind, and to Paint upon Silk, and Japan and Paint upon Glaſs. All Ladies who want Gowns painted, or any thing varniſh’d, or japan’d, or want Pictures upon Glaſs, may have them done at reaſonable Rates. (The Pennsylvania Gazette, December 25, 1744)

“JUST arrived from Holland, a Perſon that is a complete Maſter in the painting of Flowers and Fruit Pieces to the Life. He has for ſeven Years been Painter to ſome of the greateſt Floweriſts in Holland; alſo paints on Sattin for Gowns and Aprons, no Ways inferior for Beauty to Brocades, which was never done before.” (The Public Advertiser, London, March 16, 1758)

“JAMES KING, MERCER, at the Cock in Dame-street, ACQUAINTS the Nobility, Gentry, his Cuſtomers and the Public, that he has now got his entire Stock of new and elegant Silks for the Winter, viz. Gold and Silver Silks, flowered Silks, ſome painted Silks …” (The Public Register, Dublin, October 29, 1771)

“BROKE open laſt Night a Houſe at Clapham Common, and ſtolen from thence … a painted Silk Negligee” (The Public Advertiser, London, August 28, 1772)

“ALEXANDER GILLON Has lately imported from Holland and England, A large Aſſortment of Goods … a beautiful Piece of painted Silk” (The South-Carolina Gazette, November 5, 1772)

“Richard Gardnor, Drawing-Maſter, at Mr. Grubb’s, Trumpington-Street … Young Ladies are taught to draw and paint Silk in Oil Colours.” (Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, April 3, 1773)

“JUST IMPORTED, In the Magna Charta, from London, and the Charming Sally, from Bristol, A Freſh Supply of Goods in general, PART OF WHICH ARE, PLAIN, ſtriped, and brocaded Taffeties, painted Satins …” (The South-Carolina Gazette, April 26, 1773)

“To be SOLD by the Package, on very low Terms for Ready Money or ſhort Credit, A few Trunks of printed Callicoes & Chints; India Taffaties, Paduſoys, painted Satins & Gauzes, Juſt imported, in the Carolina-Packet, Captain White, from LONDON, By CHARLES OGILVIE.” (The South-Carolina Gazette, June 7, 1773)

“ACADEMY for Drawing & Painting, by JOHN & HAMILTON STEVENSON, LIMNERS. WHO teach, after the eaſieſt Manner … Painting in Silk, Sattin, &c.” (The South-Carolina and American General Gazette, December 23, 1774)

“A. POLACK, Engraver, from Charles-ſtreet, Bath, begs leave to acquaint the Nobility, Gentry, and Ladies in particular, as his ſtay in this city of Exeter will be but ſhort, ſo he takes this method to repreſent his painting plates as a moſt curious invention for ladies to paint on ſilk, muſlin, &c. It is amazing how ſoon a lady can paint a gown, ribbon, work bag, &c. which exceeds by far the India painting. The method how to paint and mix the colours, he inſtructs in half an hour.” (The Western Flying Post, August 18, 1777)

“Ran away on the night of the eighth inſtant, a hired ſervant GIRL, who goes by the name of ELIZABETH LANG. She ſtole and took with her the following articles, one new fine ſhift, one white cloth apron, one muſlin handkerchief, one black hood handkerchief, one pair of fine ſleeves, one fringed muſlin cravat, one pair of men’s white cotton hoſe, one painted ſilk calaſh, beſides ſundry other articles not yet known.&rquo; (The Pennsylvania Evening Post, September 30, 1778)

“MR. YOUNG, from London, with all ſorts of INDIA MUSLINS, which have lately been ſeized and taken prizes, and are now ſelling by commiſſion, wholeſale and retail, chapeter by twenty per cent, than ever before ſold in England, and a great many articles fifty per cent … 300 yards of rich painted Silk, to be ſold as low as 5s. per yard, worth 12s. 600 yards of rich painted Sattin, as low as 9s. 6d. per yard, worth 18s.” (The Bath Journal, December 13, 1779)

“Method of Painting on Silk or Sattin,” in Bowles’s Artists Assistant, 1780

“Capt. Richardson … has alſo for ſale, a painted ſilk for a lady, amde up in the neweſt faſhion.” (The Royal Gazette, Charleston, March 24, 1781)

“JOHN MILLER, junioer … has opened a large and neat Aſſortment of DRY GOODS. Amongſt which are … painted and plain Taffatas” (em>Poulson’s American Daily Advertiser, Philadelphia, June 12, 1783)

“Painting on Silks, Sattins, &c.” in The Artist’s Assistant, in the Study and Practice of Mechanical Sciences, 1785

“Likewiſe teaches Ladies to paint on Silk, in a peculiar Manner. A Lady who was never taught Drawing, may learn by his Method to paint a Gown moſt beautifully in one Leſſon.” (Jackson’s Oxford Journal, February 12, 1785)

“MR ROUBAN reſpectfully entreats the Ladies will honour him to view his excellent manner of Painting; his method will be found by experience ſo eaſy and ſimple, that a Lady who was never taught drawing, may notwithſtanding be enabled in One Leſſon to Paint Gowns, Shawls, Screens, &c. equally as good as thoſe who have been taught by a regular mode of three years cloſe application. Thoſe who practice Painting will be pleaſingly amazed to find, that with his plates, they may do as much work in five minutes as would take the moſt expert in drawing five hours. A Lady may readily and with eaſe finiſh a Gown in three days.” (The Caledonian Mercury, Edinburgh, January 26, 1788)

“Her Majeſty was dreſſed in a white crape petticoat, embroidered with white ſatin, in waves acroſs, interſected with ſpotted blue, ſhaded ſatin, and black velvet ſtars, ornamented with an elegant double border of painted ſatin, in ſhaded ſpots, feſtooned and trimmed with black lace” (The Ipswitch Journal, January 21, 1797)

“MRS PAXTON begs leave to inform her Friends and the Public, that she continues to teach Drawing and Painting; and to prepare, in Sets, or in single Bottles, the very best Liquid Body Water Colours, famous for standing on Leather, Silk, Wood, or Paper. Ladies who paint on Silk, will find them beautiful, and used with little trouble.” (The Observer, June 3, 1798)