1740-1745

This mantua and petticoat represent the grandest style of court dress. The skirt made it necessary for the wearer to go sideways through doors, but had the advantage of displaying a large area of lavish decoration. Botanically accurate flowers were a feature of Rococo embroidery, patterned silks and printed textiles of the 1740s and 1750s in England.

Silk embroidered with coloured silk and silver thread

V&A