Trousers From An “incroyable” Outfit, Made Of Green-and-yellow Wool Twill—france, Circa 1795–1805

Circa 1795–1805
France

Remarkable pants worn by an “Incroyable,” made of yellow-green wool twill and dating from the post-Revolutionary French period, specifically the Directoire or Consulat eras. Their cut is decidedly modernist, in the tradition of the French sans-culottes. Very, very high waist, a buttoned fly, very wide leg openings tapered at the ankle, and waist gussets extending up under the shoulder blades and across the front under the chest, thus creating an unusually high crotch. The fabric, likely reused from the 18th century, is a very fine wool twill dyed yellow-green, that is, created by layering indigo blue (or pastel blue) and chrome yellow, well before the invention of solid green in 1805 or Sheele’s green made with arsenic. There are no pockets or lining, aside from unbleached linen reinforcements at the waistband bearing numbers and stamps from a 19th-century French costume maker (Gaston Courtois?). Buttons on the high-waisted belt (one missing and two replaced at a later date) indicate that these pants were worn with suspenders! A few stains and slight color variations are the only flaws worth noting. No holes or major defects. In good overall condition considering its age. An extremely rare piece not listed in any museum collections.

Dimensions: waist 83 cm, crotch 55 cm, rise 115 cm, leg circumference 55 cm.

Provenance: Collection of the Karinska workshop, costume designer for the Ballets Russes.