French Floral Sprig Printed Cotton
This beautiful floral printed cotton is reproduced from a fragment of a gown in our private collection. Dating from the last quarter of the 18th century, the original textile was sourced from France. Patterns of flower bouquets or sprigs became especially popular toward the late 18th century and continued into the 19th century. This 1790s gown was originally made in the 1780s. Likewise this silk brocaded gown originally made in the 1770's and re-purposed in the 1820s, shows how printed cottons closely mimicked the more expensive silks.
Printed textiles were common for all social levels in the 18th century. England was a major manufacturer and printer throughout the 18th century as was as India, where they derived many of their print patterns from. In the colonies, India cotton and English goods of linen and cotton were both worn. One and two-color prints of crude to complex designs were all within the reach of most social classes. The patterns varied widely mimicking the fashions of the time. Common color themes were black and red, red and purple, double purple, double blue, and of course multiple colors which often combined block printed with painting or penciling. Cotton found in England was rarer thanks to sumptuary laws forbidding its wearing until the end of the century however the thriving Manchester textile industry produced a fine linen/cotton textile in various grades which was printed to the highest perfection. These goods were equally exported to the colonies along with the India cottons and sometimes but not always distinguished as such.
- French Floral Sprig Printed Cotton is lightweight, with a soft drape and plain weave.
- We have meticulously reproduced the colors of this textile as they originally appeared.
- Suitable for gowns, jackets, petticoats, wrapping gowns, banyans, accessories and children's clothing.
- 100% Cotton, 54 inches wide.
- 3.57 oz per sq yard, 120.93 grams per sq meter
