Dress
Unknown Artist
18th century–19th century
Medium
cotton
Dimensions
Length: 53 in. (134.6 cm)
Classification
Main dress
Culture
Dutch
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of William Sloane Coffin, 1926
Accession Number
26.265.96
Art Historical Context
Step into the graceful world of Dutch fashion with this elegant cotton dress from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. Dating to the 18th–19th centuries, this main dress measures an impressive 53 inches (134.6 cm) in length, suggesting it was designed for full-bodied wear, likely reflecting the evolving silhouettes of the Enlightenment and early Romantic eras. Gifted by William Sloane Coffin in 1926, it stands as a treasured artifact of everyday or ceremonial attire from Dutch culture. Cotton as a medium marks a pivotal shift in European textiles during this period. The Netherl...