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Woman's chemise
Woman's shift
Woman's chemise
Worn by: Mehetable Stoddard Sumner (Welles) (American, 1784–1826)
French, worn in America
about 1821
Place of Manufacture: Paris, France; Place of Use: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Medium/Technique
Linen plain weave with cotton embroidery
Dimensions
Center front: 104.1 cm (41 in.)
Center back: 116.8 cm (46 in.)
Center back: 116.8 cm (46 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Emily Welles Robbins (Mrs. Harry Pelham Robbins) and the Hon. Sumner Welles, in memory of Georgiana Welles Sargent
Accession Number49.895
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsEurope, Fashion and Textiles
ClassificationsCostumes
DescriptionWoman's fine linen shift, deeply scooped neck, short sleeves with bands of cartridge pleating across tops, openwork embroidery and a pattern of alternating leaves and wreathes around neck and ends of sleeves, underarm gussets
InscriptionsWritten in ink on linen tag basted inside at bottom: illegible letters (possibly an abbreviation of something in French)
ProvenanceWorn by Mehetable Stoddard Sumner (Mrs. Benjamin Welles) (1784-1826) of Boston; Inherited by her granddaughter Miss Georgiana Welles Sargent (born 1858) of New York City; Gift of Emily Welles Robbins (Mrs. Harry Pelham Robbins) and the Hon. Sumner Welles, in memory of Georgiana Welles Sargent, to MFA 1949