Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Formal Ball Gown (robe parée)
Attributed to Marie-Jeanne "Rose" Bertin French
Not on view
Showing the refinement of French eighteenth-century court dress, this richly embellished ball gown was a luxury few could afford. The metallic threads, sequins, and glass stones would have sparkled by candlelight. The petticoat, originally worn over a large pannier (but subsequently altered to a slimmer style), increased the volume and weight of the dress and, in combination with the train, made it difficult for the wearer to dance or move freely.