Dress

This fashionable open gown, dating to around 1780, would have been worn over a petticoat of silk or matching chintz fabric. The tightly fitted bodice contrasts with the fullness of the gathered skirt, which may have been augmented with padding over the hips and back. The printed gold spot pattern would have been applied to an adhesive, probably gum arabic, after the chintz fabric had been painted and dyed. This type of deep-coloured design particularly appealed to the Dutch market, which is where the dress was probably made and worn.