Court suit

ca. 1810
Not on view
This three piece suit is exemplary of skilled French embroidery and the silhouette of men's court wear during the time of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). Bonaparte revived the importance of court traditions when he crowned himself Emperor in 1804. This revival necessitated the recreation of acceptable court dress, which had been defunct since the elaborate and costly court of Louis XVI (1754-1793) prior to the French Revolution. The intricate embroidery pattern is intriguingly mimicked between the waistcoat and coat, reinforcing its status as a full suit.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Court suit
  • Date: ca. 1810
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: silk
  • Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Designated Purchase Fund, 1983
  • Object Number: 2009.300.1001a–c
  • Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute

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