A Banyan Or Dressing Gown Made Of French Calico, Circa 1850

Circa 1850
France

A banyan, or men’s dressing gown, made of French calico and dating from the mid-19th century. Banyans are those “négligé”-style indoor garments in which famous men of the 18th century liked to be portrayed. This one is from the 19th century, designed for summer, made of printed cotton with wide botanical stripes imitating a mottled pattern, accented with red and black in a staggered vine branch design. A dressing gown with a small collar, long sleeves with turned-down cuffs, fastened at the front with ten matching buttons and loops (a cord is missing from one of the buttonholes). Fully lined with a French Indian fabric from the same period featuring rows of palm-boteh motifs on a brown background. Here, the side panels of this dressing gown flare out in the same way as 18th-century banyans, which is quite uncommon! The Indian calico fabrics are in good condition, with no holes or stains. The color and overall condition are excellent.

Dimensions: Large size, equivalent to French men’s size 56–58. Length 148 cm, shoulders 63 cm, sleeves 64 cm, chest 120 cm, width at the bottom of the robe 280 cm.