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This is a drawing of a long dress. The dress has a flowing, ankle-length design with long sleeves, made from a richly patterned fabric featuring floral motifs. The fabric appears full and gathered, giving the dress a voluminous silhouette. The bodice has a round neckline and a fitted upper body that extends to a slightly flared skirt. The patterns on the fabric are rendered in delicate, earthy tones.
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This is a drawing of a long dress. The dress has a flowing, ankle-length design with long sleeves, made from a richly patterned fabric featuring floral motifs. The fabric appears full and gathered, giving the dress a voluminous silhouette. The bodice has a round neckline and a fitted upper body that extends to a slightly flared skirt. The patterns on the fabric are rendered in delicate, earthy tones.

National Gallery of Art · Index of American Design

Ball Dress

Edith Magnette

Date
c. 1939
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 46.9 x 36.6 cm (18 7/16 x 14 7/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 163" around bottom of skirt
Classification
Index of American Design · Drawing
Accession number
1943.8.1418
Credit line
Index of American Design
Time span
1926 to 1950
Department
CG-W
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • American
Inscription

lower left in black ink: Edith Magnette; upper center verso in graphite: Ball Dress / Material of 1738 - remodelled c. 1890 / grey-green satin with side panels & front of flowered satin / embroidered - Crinoline around bottom of skirt - lace at / neck, sleeves, and bottom of dress at back / owned by Mrs. Munger, Wellington, NJ -

NGA object ID 13627. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.