Court Dress In Gold And Silver Brocade - Louis XIV Period - Second Half Of The 17th Century

Second half of the 17th century, France. Rare court dress in absinthe green silver brocade dating from the Louis XIV period. 17th-century brocade in fluted French faille, adorned with undulating bouquets brocaded with silver thread. Justaucorps cut, collarless, fastened at the front with wide musketeer cuffs on sleeves shorter than those of the 18th century, which are to be decorated with flounces. Wide skirted tails at the back with appliquéd facings of cut-out gold passementerie, echoed on the front, cuffs, and pockets, exactly as described by Maurice Leloir in his 17th-century notebooks. Complete with its forty-one bell-shaped buttons in gold thread passementerie. Later lining in cream cotton chintz (some soiling to the lining) bearing the stamps of the Comédie Française and inventory numbers, one dated 1830, attesting to its successive uses in the theater during the 18th and 19th centuries. Despite probable alterations and repairs, the garment's structure remains faithful to 17th-century cuts. The brocade is worn and patched in several places, with some snags and weaknesses in the silk, particularly at the shoulders and sleeves. Overall, it remains in stable condition. Dimensions: Height 102 cm, shoulders 44 cm, sleeves 45 cm, chest 102 cm, waist 98 cm, hips 122 cm.