Cape

Unknown

1899 · silk, cotton · Costume Institute

Not only is this an elaborate infant's garment, it is also an example of parental pride. The cape would have been worn when the baby was being presented to society. It is obvious that a great deal of work was put into its fabrication, as it is completely finished on the interior and lined with a soft surah. The deep lace flounces were the vogue in the 1900s in women's clothing. The profusion of lace suggests an aristocratic or royal status, which Americans were attempting to associate with during the Gilded Age.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1899

Medium

silk, cotton

Culture

American

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Maxime L. Hermanos, 1966