"Marvelous Shirt Dress In Indian Embroidered Muslin - France Circa 1790-1800 "
Circa 1790-1800 France Shirt dress in cotton muslin and white chain stitch embroidery of floral scrolls which is a work of the East India Companies for export to Europe. This type of dress is visible in the engravings of the Incroyables et Merveilleuses caricaturing the extravagant accessorized outfits of this period. Redingote cut, crossed in front and closed by four buttons with loops, long straight sleeves ending in flared mittens on the wrists. Plunging V-neckline on the chest, highlighted by a double row of muslin frills. Pleated volume on the back with integrated belt and to tie in front. Inner corset in white cotton and to pin on the chest. This cut constitutes the transition between Marie-Antoinette's Shirt Dress and the more elaborate redingote dresses of the First Empire. It has been cleaned and has micro repairs that do not compromise its stability. No major defects. Very good condition of State of conservation for this period. Dimensions: Equivalent to size 36 France. Height 134 cm, shoulders 38 cm, collar 33 cm, chest 88 cm, waist 79 cm, hips 95 cm, sleeves 68 cm. "The first thing Napoleon asked was, 'Are you still wearing Muslin?' We replied that it was Linon de Saint Quentin, but as we sometimes failed to smile, he immediately began to tear our foreign-made dresses... We ended up only being able to wear satin or velvet." Memoirs of Queen Hortense, daughter of Joséphine de Beauharnais.