Artwork

Composition avec bouquets de fleurs et branches fleuries avec grappes, frises de perles couleur glycine, projets de broderies de gilet, XVIIIème siècle

Composition avec bouquets de fleurs et branches fleuries avec grappes, frises de perles couleur glycine, projets de broderies de gilet, XVIIIème siècle is a drawing by Anonyme. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris. This eighteenth‑century drawing, attributed to an anonymous hand, presents a decorative scheme intended for a men’s vest.

About this work

Overview

This eighteenth‑century drawing, attributed to an anonymous hand, presents a decorative scheme intended for a men’s vest. Executed around 1750, the work resides in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. Its format consists of two adjoining diamond‑shaped panels densely populated with stylised floral motifs, framed by a linear border that resembles a string of tiny beads.

Subject & Meaning

The central imagery combines bouquets of blossoms, leafy branches and grape‑like clusters, arranged to fill the geometric spaces. The composition functions as a visual guide for textile embellishment, suggesting how the depicted flowers might be rendered in needlework on a vest. The inclusion of a faint, partially legible caption at the bottom reinforces its instructional purpose.

Technique & Style

Rendered in delicate line work on aged, yellowed paper, the drawing employs a restrained palette of soft pinks, greens and blues.

Rendered in delicate line work on aged, yellowed paper, the drawing employs a restrained palette of soft pinks, greens and blues. The floral forms are outlined with precise, yet uncomplicated strokes, while the surrounding border is punctuated by a row of minute, bead‑like dots that evoke a pearl‑string frieze. The overall aesthetic reflects the ornamental taste of mid‑eighteenth‑century French fashion design.

History & Provenance

Created circa 1750, the piece likely served as a pattern for a courtly garment, though no surviving vest can be directly linked to it. Its anonymous authorship is typical of workshop‑produced design sheets of the period. The drawing entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings through a 20th‑century acquisition, where it is conserved as part of the institution’s collection of decorative‑arts documentation.