Artwork

Composition florale aux bleuets, projets de broderies de gilet, XVIIIème siècle

Composition florale aux bleuets, 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. Created around the middle of the eighteenth century, this anonymous drawing serves as a design sheet for a men’s vest embroidery.

About this work

Overview

Created around the middle of the eighteenth century, this anonymous drawing serves as a design sheet for a men’s vest embroidery. Rendered on a light‑tan paper, the composition presents a series of vivid floral motifs intended for needlework, reflecting the decorative tastes of the period. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography.

Subject & Meaning

The central imagery consists of clustered blossoms in pink, blue and red, each accompanied by green foliage and slender stems. Two small triangular panels contain stylised birds perched among branches, adding a naturalistic element to the overall ornamental scheme. The motifs illustrate the eighteenth‑century fascination with botanical and avian subjects as sources of decorative inspiration.

Technique & Style

Executed in a sketch‑like manner, the drawing combines fine line work with washes of colour that suggest the intended embroidery threads. The layout is organized, with clear boundaries for each motif, facilitating translation into stitched form. The use of bright hues and simplified forms aligns with contemporary French and German embroidery pattern books.

History & Provenance

The sheet, attributed to an unknown hand, dates to circa 1750 and was likely produced as a practical guide for tailors or embroiderers. It entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings through a mid‑twentieth‑century acquisition of a private collection of textile design materials, where it remains a reference for historic garment decoration.