Art Institute of Chicago

Waistcoat Front Panel

England or Germany

Date

1720-40

Medium

Cotton, plain weave foundation; embroidered with linen thread in buttonhole, herringbone, satin, overcast and feather stitches; French knots; geometric fillings, coral stitch openwork ground; buttons covered with tailor's buttonhole stitch

Culture

England

Department

Textiles

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

White-on-white embroidery relies on variation in texture and translucence to reveal its pattern. Accordingly, the designer and embroiderer must choose their materials and stitches very carefully to achieve a legible and attractive design. Such so-called whitework may have originated in East Asia and been introduced to Europe through trade with the Indian subcontinent.

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