Ball gown
Clothes for Women
Inventory number
2019.1.31.22ab.CW.DR.C1865.USDescription
Evening dress in green silk taffeta, also called "Paris green" colour. The gown consists of two parts: a large crinoline skirt and a tight corset boned bodice.The famous "Paris green" or "green of Schweinfurt" met a huge success from its discovery, thanks to its exceptional luminosity. Yet this color proved murderous. In fact, the chemical name of this pigment is "copper aceto-arsenite" and is therefore extremely toxic because of its arsenic content. First it was the carnage among the dyers, then by the regular contact with the skin of the "fashion victim" ladies of the time. It was used from the late 19th century to kill rats in Parisian sewers, hence the common name of "Paris green".
Material
Silk tafettaOrigin
circa 1865 United StatesExhibitions History
2019.7.14 - 2019.8.31 - "Resort elegance - Vichy 1852-1870", Palais des congrès, Vichy, France2019.8.30 - 2019.10.6 - "Invitation to the ball", Château de Querrieu, Querrieu, France