Artheon MuseumArtheonMuseum

Petticoat

Unknown Artist

mid-18th century

Petticoat by Unknown Artist

Medium

silk

Classification

Petticoat

Culture

American or European

Department

Costume Institute

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Bequest of Maria P. James, 1910

Accession Number

11.60.220

Art Historical Context

Step into the opulent world of 18-century fashion with this elegant silk petticoat from the mid-1700s. As an essential undergarment, it would have been worn beneath expansive skirts to create the wide-hipped silhouettes iconic of the Rococo era, adding volume and graceful sway to a lady's gown. Crafted from luxurious silk—likely imported via thriving transatlantic trade routes—this piece whispers of the era's social aspirations, where such fine fabrics signaled wealth and refinement, whether in European courts or burgeoning American colonies. The petticoat's unknown maker highlights the colla...

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