Waistcoat

A combination of silk and chenille threads in a variety of colours creates a sumptuous embroidered design on this waistcoat. Chenille was a type of thread produced with pile protruding from all sides. Chenille is French for ‘caterpillar’, a name that accurately describes its velvety texture. It was much used in embroidery and woven fabrics in the 18th century, adding texture and depth to designs.

On this waistcoat, the chenille threads graduate in shade from light to dark green on the leaves and white through pink to dark red on the flowers, giving each a three-dimensional quality. The arrangement of the embroidery covering the whole of the waistcoat and the large scale of the pattern are typical of Baroque design.