chemise

ΜΓ 311 A woman’s long, sleeved chemise, made of thick, loom-woven off-white cotton. It is similar to chemise ΜΓ 313. The central part of the garment front and back, consists of a single fabric panel, 44-45 cm wide. A large trapezoid gore, 7.5 cm wide in the upper part and 22 cm in the lower, extends under the right sleeve. It is framed by two triangular gores, one at the front of the chemise, 52 cm high and 16 cm wide, and one at the back, 52 cm high and 115 cm wide. Another large, trapezoid gore, 9 cm wide in the upper part and 43 cm wide in the lower part, has been added under the left sleeve. This is again framed by two equally sized, small triangular gores, 24-25 cm high and 3-4 cm wide. Across the handmade joints, the different garment segments end in bulky hems. Τhe chemise is gathered all around the bottom, ending in a spiral finish of dense stitches. A low band collar, 2 cm high, is lined internally and externally with cotton fabric featuring dark beige stripes: two narrower stripes flanking a wider one. At the neck base there is a loop which must have been used to fasten the opening with a missing button or hook. The opening continues to the breast, at a height of 12 cm from the neck base down. Across the opening, the gathered fabric has a spiral finish of dense stitches. The long sleeves consist of a single piece of fabric with an inseam. They are sewn vertically to the body, hemmed at the joint (width: 0.5 cm). Their bottom part is densely gathered and narrow, with a spiral finish similar to that on the rest of the garment’s openings. Height of chemise: 107.5 cm. Width: 46 cm on the shoulders, …. (at the base). Sleeve length: 44 cm. Sleeve width: 22-23 cm in the upper part, 8 cm at the ruched opening. Date of entry to the Collection: 13.9.1980 Provenance: Polemi, Pafos – Purchased from Ioannis Theodosiou.