Art Institute of Chicago

Pair of Sleeve Ruffles

France or Germany

Date

Mid-18th century

Medium

Linen plain weave foundation; embroidered in linen with shadow, chain, and buttonhole stitches, and drawnwork with various fillings

Culture

France

Department

Textiles

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

The lace decorations that ornamented women’s dresses were separate from the dresses themselves. They required many yards of lace and, since fine lace was expensive, people sought substitutes that mimicked the light, translucent nature of the fabric. Here, the sleeve ruffles are made of a woven linen that has been skillfully embroidered to look like lace.

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