Border of Silk Embroidery on Velvet, from an Album of Drawings in Color for Waistcoats

This textile sample shows a floral border design in silk embroidery on a dark velvet ground. The border consists of two parts. On the right side, a vertical band of flowers is depicted. The stems and leaves are executed in white silk thread, while the flowers are executed in pinks, blues and yellow. The same pattern repeats twice with slight variations. To the left is a more simple geometric border that seems to define the area where a hem would be folded.

The sample came into the collection as part of an album consisting of 35 folios with over 130 designs for embroidery, largely meant to be applied to waistcoats in the styles of Louis XV and XVI (see: 27.73.1-35). Like the embroidery, the patterns represented in the album are mostly floral in nature. Occasionally, birds and insects are added to the design as well. Influences from Asian textiles can be detected in the fantastical flowers and fruits, which are sometimes accompanied by other elements generally associated with the taste for so-called Chinoiseries.