Evening cape
Unknown Artist
ca. 1895
Medium
silk, fur
Classification
Evening cape
Culture
French
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Rodman A. Heeren, 1966
Accession Number
2009.300.413
Art Historical Context
Step into the lavish world of Belle Époque Paris with this stunning evening cape, crafted around 1895 by an unknown artist. Dating from the fin-de-siècle era, when fashion embodied opulence and sophistication, this garment would have graced the shoulders of elite women attending grand soirées, theaters, or balls. Evening capes like this were essential accessories, offering both dramatic flair and practical warmth against cooler nights, while complementing the era's voluminous silhouettes and corseted gowns. Luxuriously made from silk and fur, the cape highlights the masterful textile techniqu...