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This gown was inspired by the Portrait
of Madame
Seriziat by Jacques- Louis David painted in 1795.
David was a famous for his paintings with the idealized figures of
revolutionary France.
The portrait depicts a woman wearing a later version of the chemise
a la reine, often referred to as a gaulle dress, and known in America
as
the "muslin gown."
The chemise dress was
made famous by France's Marie Antoinette and was the official dress of
her
countryside estates. This style of gown was quickly adopted by
fashionable European ladies, those living in Europe's tropical
colonies, and in
America. Though labeled radical at first, this style of dress became
extremely popular in the later part of the 18th century. This style of
dress was prominent in America from
the 1790s to about 1800.
Traditionally white in color, this style of dress has
also been documented in a
variety of soft pastels and small prints as well. In England, it
was worn over a small roll attached at the
back of the corset. This gown is the forerunner to the high
waisted, Grecian- inspired gowns typical of the early 19th century.
For more information on this time period, visit our costume history
page here.
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for
ideas and pricing