Fragment
Object name
Date made
18th century
Place made
Description
Fragment of 18th-century Italian embroidery, taken from a skirt, domestic furnishing, or ecclesiastical embroidery.
Content description
A fragment of embroidery taken from a larger object, such as an 18th-century Italian item of dress, a domestic furnishing, or an ecclesiastical embroidery. This fragment features a green silk ground and polychrome silk threads. The design features naturalistically rendered tulips, leaves, small flowers, and foliate arabesque forms.
The tulips and other small flowers are worked in long and short stitches. The arabesque designs are worked in slanted satin stitches in both twisted and floss silk threads, which creates variation in sheen. The twisted silk threads have couching stitches of colourful threads upon them, creating patterns that resemble or nue. This creates a woven effect. The areas of floss silk use parchment underneath. A sort of cutwork netting made from linen thread decorates the central motifs as well as the bottom of the design, which is wavy.
The embroidered design suggests it was made in the 18th century, although it could be earlier. The silk pattern is reminiscent of lace which was a characteristic of dress fabrics in the 1730s. The naturalistic shading of the flowers suggests it is Italian.
The tulips and other small flowers are worked in long and short stitches. The arabesque designs are worked in slanted satin stitches in both twisted and floss silk threads, which creates variation in sheen. The twisted silk threads have couching stitches of colourful threads upon them, creating patterns that resemble or nue. This creates a woven effect. The areas of floss silk use parchment underneath. A sort of cutwork netting made from linen thread decorates the central motifs as well as the bottom of the design, which is wavy.
The embroidered design suggests it was made in the 18th century, although it could be earlier. The silk pattern is reminiscent of lace which was a characteristic of dress fabrics in the 1730s. The naturalistic shading of the flowers suggests it is Italian.
Dimensions
width: 58cm
height: 58cm
height: 58cm
Materials
Stitches
Techniques
Motifs
Catalogue number
RSN.361
© Royal School of Needlework