Panel for a Waistcoat c. 18th century

This is an undated waistcoat panel made by an anonymous artist. The design, rendered in colored inks on a plain ground, features horizontal bands of floral motifs. This panel offers a glimpse into the world of 18th and early 19th-century fashion and the social rituals surrounding dress. Waistcoats were important markers of status and taste, and their decoration reflected prevailing aesthetic trends. The floral patterns seen here echo the broader interest in botanical illustration and garden design, important for the self-fashioning of a cultured elite. The absence of the artist's name invites us to consider the often-overlooked contributions of artisans and craftspeople. Researching trade records, pattern books, and costume collections can help us reconstruct the social conditions of artistic production and trace the circulation of design ideas in this period. By examining such objects, we can recover a richer, more inclusive history of art.