18th Century Mantuas
Last updated: Jan 5, 2024
These links cover both styles of mantuas: the formalwear of the early 18th century, and the court gowns of the later 18th century.
- LACMA M.88.39a-c, woman's mantua with stomacher and petticoat, silk satin with gold and silver metallic thread embroidery, Italy, c. 1700
- Met 1991.6.1a,b, bizarre silk in salmon-pink damask with floral and foliate pattern brocaded with polychrome silk and gold metallic file, England, c. 1708
- V&A T.88 to C-1978, a mantua in pale blue brocaded silk, c. 1720-1730
- The Lincoln Mantua, Spitalfields silk, c. 1735; see also The Problems of Reconstructing Historic Costume.
- V&A T.9&A-1971, a woman's formal day ensemble in Britain in the late 1730s in brocade
- V&A T.324&A-1985, a brocaded silk mantua with a complex long train, c. 1735-1740
- Manchester 1989.220, the open robe of a mantua in silk damask, probably worn by the wife of Morgan Davies of Coomb in 1742-1742
- V&A T.260&A-1969, silk embroidered with silk and silver thread, c. 1740-1745
- V&A T.227&A&B-1970, scarlet ribbed silk with silver embroidery, c. 1740-1745
- V&A T.179 to C-1959, English formal court mantua and petticoat in embroidered silk, c. 1740-1745
- Manchester 1951.281, a wedding dress with an open robe in silk damask, 1742-1743
- National Trust 603183, an ivory silk mantua made in England for Lady Ann Bligh, c. 1748-1750; see also Court mantua at Springhill House
- Christie's Sale 14139, Lot 586, a deconstructed court mantua, mid-18th century
- V&A T.44-1910 (sleeve detail), silk and linen, Great Britain, 1750s
- Musées Royaux d'Art et d'Histoire 274
- National Trust 604873, silk mantua-style robe, England, c. 1750-1760
- Museum of London 83.831, court dress worn by Mrs. Ann Fanshawe, 1752-1753; “Court dress traditionally thought to have been worn by Mrs. Ann Fanshawe when her father, Crisp Gascoyne, was Lord Mayor of London in 1752-53; consisting of a bodice with a short skirt, stomacher and petticoat, this dress is made from a Spitalfields woven white silk, brocaded with alternating motifs of silver cornucopia from which spill polychrome flowers, barley and hops, and silver merchant's packs, the ground is covered with silver strip. The bodice is open at the front with robings cuffs and sleeve ruffles enriched with silver lace. The stomacher is trimmed with the same lace, alternating with cream, yellow, green and mauve ribbon shells. The skirt is cut very wide at the side hoops.”
- V&A T.592:1 to 7-1993, an English court mantua in brocade, c. 1755-1760; see also Refashioning the Early Modern: A Court Mantua
- Rijksmuseum BK-1978-247, wedding dress worn by Helena Slicher in 1759
- Front and back of a mantua & petticoat, probably worn by Mary Holt, wife of 7th Earl of Haddington, dating from c. 1760
- The Fitzwilliam Mantua, worn at the court of George III, made from white silk satin brocaded with a pattern of stripes and scrolling garlands of exotic flowers in silver thread and trimmed with silver lace, c. 1760-1765
- V&A T.120 to B-1961, a mantua typical of the style worn only by aristocratic ladies for ceremonies at court, silk and brocade, England, c. 1760-1770
- Bonhams 27 Jun 2006, Lot 30, a court mantua and petticoat in ivory silk brocade, French, c. 1770
- National Trust 1348716, a watered silk damask mantua c. 1750 with alterations c. 1770
- V&A T.13-1952, silk satin embroidered with silk and chenille thread, Great Britain, 1775-1785
- Bijlokemuseum 165, silk, c. 1780
