Coat

Art Historical Context

Step into the elegance of 18th-century Britain with this exquisite silk coat from the 1720s, a rare survivor from the Georgian era. Crafted by an unknown artist, its luxurious silk fabric speaks to the height of opulence in British fashion, when finely woven silks from Spitalfields weavers were prized for their sheen and durability. Acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute through the bequests of Irene Lewis and Alice L. Crowley 1982, this garment offers a tangible link to the refined world of the aristocracy and emerging merchant class. In the 1720s, men's coats like th...