Martha Washington's dress

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Object Details

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Washington, Martha

Description

Dress worn by Martha Washington. The gown's basic style is typical of the early 1780s. The painted pattern on the silk taffeta is a repeat of four floral bouquets and 58 creatures (butterflies, ants, beetles, snails, bees, grasshoppers, wasps, ladybugs, spiders, and grubs) places within the spaces between the ribbon-trellis pattern. Each crossover is accented with a painted green "jewel."

The fabric displays characteristics common to 18th- century hand-painted Chinese textiles: fluid brush strokes, white lead base coat of paint, green malachite pigment for the "jewels," and a 30-inch selvage-to-selvage width.

The collar and cuffs are reproductions

Location

Currently not on view

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. John McFarland Bergland and Mrs. Asher Abbott White

Date made

Late 18th Century

ID Number

1987.0080.01

catalog number

1987.0080.01

accession number

1987.0080

Object Name

Dress

Physical Description

silk (overall material)

salmon pink; green (overall color)

Measurements

overall: 55 in x 33 in x 48 in; 139.7 cm x 83.82 cm x 121.92 cm

See more items in

Political History: Political History, First Ladies Collection

Government, Politics, and Reform

Clothing & Accessories

Data Source

National Museum of American History

used

First Ladies

Subject