Description
Dress fabric of brocaded silk, Spitalfields, London, 1734
Dress fabric of brocaded silk with a tree and island design. The design is on a white ribbed tabby-faced ground and consists of a small green island bearing a tree, a tiny house, small plants, a huge fantastic flower and a large pomegranate. Two of the islands, with colour changes, are repeated side by side in the width of the silk. Above and below, fitting into gaps in the pattern are another two islands in reverse, similar in general outline but varying in detail.
The main colour used for the pattern is green, and was once a yellow toned green that has now faded to blue-green, and the weft is woven into the entire width of the material. Brocaded silks in lime green, magenta, deep lilac, three shades of pink and tan have faded to pale yellow, dull pink, pale lilac, pinkish cream and buff. All the pattern wefts are uniformly bound in 3/1 twill, including the white ground weft which is brought to the surface to fill details in the green and white trees, plants and houses.