Coat
Mariano Jose Fortuny (1838-1874)
Category
Costume
Date
circa 1923
Materials
Silk
Measurements
1310 mm (L); 1010 mm (L)
Place of origin
Venice
Order this imageCollection
Attingham Park, Shropshire
NT 609818
Caption
The 8th Lady Berwick had grown up in Venice amongst high society. Teresa brought another layer of Italian influence to the Attingham collection and this cloak by the famous designer Fortuny may have caused quite a stir amongst the Shropshire county set. This fragile object is currently in our textile store.
Summary
Hand sewn coat in grey/blue silk, stencil printed with gilt metalica pigment with motifs from Egyptian/Coptic sources and borders of leaf motifs, lines radiating from neck and shoulders. Sleeves in four panels and body in four panels joined with beads. Hand written note by Teresa Noel-Hill, Lady Berwick reads: 'Evening cloak from Mariano Fortuny Venice 1924(?) - worn during sittings for Gerald Kelly's portrait see Merlin Waterson 'Lady Berwick, Attingham and Italy p.65'. A similar Fortuny design in the Metropolitan Museum collection (object number C.I.50.44) is described as a 'caftan' or djellaba. . See also coat in 'Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949) Brighton Museum 1980 Cat.No.33. The Berwick coat has identical motifs and trimmings with slight variation in cut and a different weight of silk being used. See Portrait of Edith Teresa Hulton, Lady Berwick by Sir Gerald Kelly (see National Trust Inventory Number 608972).
Provenance
8th Lady Berwick collection; bequeathed to the National Trust by Edith Teresa Hulton, Lady Berwick (1890-1972).
Marks and inscriptions
Mariano Fortuny Venice (circular printed fabric label)
Makers and roles
Mariano Jose Fortuny (1838-1874)