Ribbon Embroidery in the 18th Century

Last updated: Jan 7, 2024

• LACMA 63.2.5, a stomacher with ombre ribbon, fly fringe, and lace on silk damask, mid-18th century
• V&A T.251 to C-1959, a sack back gown and petticoat, c. 1755-1760; “The bodice robings are trimmed with broad silver strip bobbin lace, which continues down the skirt facings, looped with a narrower woven strip lace. These are trimmed with garlands and sprays of flowers of ribbon and wired silk chenille and feathers.”
• Met C.I.59.29.1a, b, a robe à la française, c. 1750-1775
• Colonial Williamsburg 1958-24, an ivory silk taffeta stomacher with linen bobbin lace, silk ribbon flowers, and silk fly-fringe foliage, England or France, 1750-1775
• MFA 43.1920, a stomacher with silver ribbon work and silver wire rosettes on silver-covered white silk, mid-18th century to late 18th century
• Met C.I.60.40.2a, b, a robe à la française with a ribbon-embroidered stomacher, c. 1760-1770
• Met 1981.351a, robe à la française, c. 1760-1770
• Museum of London A12413, a dress ensemble (sacque and petticoat), 1762-1767; “The front of the petticoat, the only part that would have been visible, is decorated with multi-coloured ribbon and delicate lace.”
• MFA 43.1836, a stomacher with white silk ribbon embroidery, lace, and trim on silk, c. 1760-1780
• Met 2009.300.690a, b, a robe à la française, c. 1770-1775
• MFA 77.6a-b, a woman's court dress and petticoat (robe a la francaise); the gown is “trimmed with gold lace and rosettes of ribbon and silk suggesting flowers”
• LACMA M.80.27.1, a stomacher with silk ribbon embroidery, fly fringe, and lace, c. 1775
• MFA 43.1913, a stomacher with ribbon and chenille flowers and fly fringe on gilt-silver lace mounted on white silk
• KCI AC9704 98-26AD, a robe à la française, late 1770s
• Dutch ribbon-embroidered work bags from the third quarter of the 18th century at the Rijksmuseum, including BK-1978-392-A (c. 1770-1790), BK-1978-392-C (c. 1770-1790), BK-1978-392-B (c. 1780-1800), and BK-KOG-90/a> (1786)
• Met C.I.46.42.6, a silk bodice with ribbon embroidery, 18th century
• V&A T.180&A-1965, a woman's sack back (robe à la francaise) and petticoat with chenille and ribbon embroidery, including “tassels of flowers made of looped ribbon”
• Nordiska museet NM.0020536, ribbon embroidery for a reticule, c. 1780-1789
• A man's coatee and waistcoat from the 1780s
• Rijksmuseum BK-NM-5596, a reticule or bag “à la Gondole,” c. 1787-1807
• RISD 46.500, a baby bodice, “silk plain woven ground embellished with ribbon work embroidery,” c. 1790