Evening cape
Liberty & Co. founded in London in 1875 by Arthur Lasenby Liberty (1843-1917) as a retailer specializing in goods from the Orient and Far East, became strongly influenced by the Aesthetic Movement, and later, was associated with the Art Nouveau style. The retailer, an advocate of affordable and distinctive design, not only imported items, but also tapped English designers of the day to produce furniture, household goods, and fine textiles. In 1884, Liberty opened a costume department headed by Edward William Godwin (1833-86), an architect and proponent of the Liberty philosophy. The Liberty workrooms created garments that defied Paris fashion, inspired instead by artistic movements, dress reform, and non-Western costume.
Produced in one of Liberty's trademark high-quality silks, the rich yellow satin of this cape is draped in the fashion of Middle Eastern outerwear. Its elegant simplicity is relieved by the distinctive curvilinear pattern of overlapping silk cord that sinuously loops around itself. It is a good early 20th-century example of the Art Nouveau design that was synonymous with Liberty & Co.
Produced in one of Liberty's trademark high-quality silks, the rich yellow satin of this cape is draped in the fashion of Middle Eastern outerwear. Its elegant simplicity is relieved by the distinctive curvilinear pattern of overlapping silk cord that sinuously loops around itself. It is a good early 20th-century example of the Art Nouveau design that was synonymous with Liberty & Co.
Artwork Details
- Title: Evening cape
- Designer: Liberty & Co. (British, founded London, 1875)
- Date: 1900–1910
- Culture: British
- Medium: wool, silk
- Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Helen Appleton Read, 1962
- Object Number: 2009.300.2510
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Liberty & Co.
1910–15
Liberty & Co.
ca. 1925
Liberty & Co.
1875–1941
Liberty & Co.
1900–1910
Multiple artists/makers
ca. 1970
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.