Fichu
Object name
Date made
Circa 1730-1760
Place made
Description
A circa 1730-1760 fichu adorned with Dresden work.
Content description
Circa 1730-1760 bleached linen fichu adorned with a border of Dresden work embroidery worked in white silk threads. Floral designs have been worked on a pulled background with trailing around the edges.
This fichu features a mixture of pulled stitches and counted stitches, including a variation on pavilion (involving the central stitch being worked as two separate stitches), horizontal old Florentine, buttonhole, trailing, single faggot, jacquard, Byzantine, a variation on Hungarian (involving frames), and ladder stitch (pulled thread). The interiors of petals and leaves are made of a variety of different patterns, as is typical of Dresden work. Dresden work is a form of whitework embroidery, a combination of pulled work and embroidery, produced throughout Europe (especially France, Germany, and the United Kingdom) and America in the 18th century. It is also known as Point de Saxe or Point de Dresde.
The fichu was an important fashion accessory during the 18th century. Women's dresses had low necklines in this period and fichus were worn over the chest and shoulders for modesty. Like this example, many fichus were made of fine, white linen, with varying levels of decoration. It is interesting to note that many of the stitches in this fichu are in modern embroidery considered canvaswork or counted thread stitches, not pulled ones.
This fichu features a mixture of pulled stitches and counted stitches, including a variation on pavilion (involving the central stitch being worked as two separate stitches), horizontal old Florentine, buttonhole, trailing, single faggot, jacquard, Byzantine, a variation on Hungarian (involving frames), and ladder stitch (pulled thread). The interiors of petals and leaves are made of a variety of different patterns, as is typical of Dresden work. Dresden work is a form of whitework embroidery, a combination of pulled work and embroidery, produced throughout Europe (especially France, Germany, and the United Kingdom) and America in the 18th century. It is also known as Point de Saxe or Point de Dresde.
The fichu was an important fashion accessory during the 18th century. Women's dresses had low necklines in this period and fichus were worn over the chest and shoulders for modesty. Like this example, many fichus were made of fine, white linen, with varying levels of decoration. It is interesting to note that many of the stitches in this fichu are in modern embroidery considered canvaswork or counted thread stitches, not pulled ones.
Dimensions
width: 109cm
height: 56cm
height: 56cm
Materials
Stitches
Buttonhole stitch 
Ladder stitch (pulled thread)
Single faggot stitch
Byzantine stitch
Trailing
Jacquard stitch
Hungarian stitch
Pavilion stitch
Old Florentine stitch
Ladder stitch (pulled thread)
Single faggot stitch
Byzantine stitch
Trailing
Jacquard stitch
Hungarian stitch
Pavilion stitch
Old Florentine stitch
Techniques
Motifs
Catalogue number
COL.73
Other numbers
RSN 105
© Royal School of Needlework