Dress

This 1830s day dress is made of challis printed with a realistic design of wild strawberries, bamboo, pinks and anemones. In the nineteenth century a fascination with flowers in printed textile design was nothing new, but during the 1830s it received a new impetus. Technical improvements to the printing process and advances in dye chemistry meant that floral prints could be mass-produced at low prices, and the repeal of excise duty on printed textiles in 1831 helped to reduce costs.

Inspiration for floral designs came from a variety of sources, including botanical engravings, pattern books and plants grown in gardens and conservatories.