Panel composed of two widths of "bizzare" pattern weaving. Steel blue damask ground with pattern of sickle-shaped leaves with scalloped edges; thin undulating stems with fantastic flower and leaf forms woven in silver and coral silk yarns; unlined; silver gimp applied at edges of panel; burgundy silk lining. See also Vivienne Westwood, pair of woman's shoes (access. no. 2002.672.1-2).

Floral velvets like this one are often referred to as jardinière velvets, using the French word for garden in reference to their bold, symmetrical floral patterns, or Genoa velvets, referring to the city where they were first produced. It is difficult to date this type of velvet precisely, as it was fashionable for formal interiors over a period of many years. The same type of design-large flowers and scrolling leaves symmetrically arranged to cover the entire width of a textile-also appears in monochrome damasks of the period.Velvet is distinguished from other flat textiles by its pile weave. This texture was created by an extra warp, in addition to the warp necessary for the background of the fabric. The pile warps were passed over small rods to create the loops of the pile. A polychrome velvet required as many extra sets of warps as it had colors in the pile, in this case four colors of velvet pile on a white satin background. Jardinière velvets usually had a combination of cut and uncut loops, giving further texture to the design. In this example, the combination of cut and uncut velvet on a smooth satin surface gives it an especially rich character, as all of the surfaces reflect the light differently.

Silk, silk chenille, and silvered-metal-strip-wrapped silk, warp-float faced 7:1 satin weave with supplementary patterning warps bound in plain interlacing, supplementary brocading wefts bound in 3:1 twill interlacings, and self-patterned by areas of plain weave

Silk satin length with salmon pink ground patterned with early "bizarre" silk design with musicians playing musical horns, birds, lions, and floral sprays. Selvedge on both sides of six cords.

White satin damask ground with a design of balustrades and vases of flowers brocaded with white, pink, blue, green and yellow silk and gold thread.

1700~, United Kingdom

1700~, United Kingdom