Apron
1760s
England
England
This apron mimics lace in its play of translucence and opacity. Fine sheer cotton muslin, imported to Europe from India, played a crucial role in fashion starting in the 1780s, but in this earlier example the embroidery motifs worked on the muslin are drawn from a traditional English vocabulary of stylized flowers. No ordinary kitchen apron, this accessory would have formed part of an elegant ensemble for a stroll in the park.
Cotton, plain weave; drawnwork and embroidery in cotton, satin, buttonhole, chain, and double chain stitches with linen thread