Gown

A deep round collar finishes the neckline of this stylish open gown made of hand-painted and mordant-dyed Indian cotton. The high-waisted bodice is shaped front and back with box pleats arranged in groups of three, falling loose at the back to form a train. Variations in the depths of the individual pleats indicate that they were the principal method of fitting the gown to the wearer.

The very slight irregularities between the repeats of the pattern show that the cotton has been painted, rather than printed, and executed with great skill. The process involved mordant-dyeing each colour in stages. India was the primary source for painted cottons throughout the 18th century, with a specialised industry producing textiles for export to Europe. By the 1790s, Indian textile painters had long been using European pattern books and swatches of European textiles as templates for their designs.