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This red patterned uncut velvet suit is privately owned by Lillian Williams, a collector. The vest is owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art (24.60.2). The description in The Age of Napoleon: Costume from Revolution to Empire, 1789-1815., edited by Katell le Bourhis et al. (New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1989) reads: "The new style in fabrics of the Empire, stimulated by improvements in looms and weaving and dyeing techniques, distinguish ... [this suit] from those of the Ancien Régime" (115). The suit is shown with "a square vest of embroidered satin" (115). The suit seems to have been worn by a man with small shoulders, in contrast to the more broad-shouldered green suit of the same period also held by Lillian Williams. The shoulders are clearly not padded, indicating perhaps a conservative taste on the part of the owner. The suit lacks the heavy trim associated with court dress; it was probably worn as evening dress. The vest, however, could be worn with a more elaborate suit to court. |
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