Mouwvest van een schutter 1830 - 1831

This is a shooter’s jacket, made anonymously from woollen cloth. It’s been carefully tailored, with particular attention to the fit of the shoulders and chest, nipped in at the waist. The deep indigo dye comes from the indigofera plant, a sought-after commodity. The cloth would have been fulled, or felted, to make it weather resistant, and then cut and assembled with considerable skill, as you can see from the precisely aligned buttonholes and trim. Notice also the epaulettes, indicating rank, and the bright red collar – a flash of expensive colour. The jacket speaks of a social context, a time when military values were ascendant, and national identity was expressed through dress. In a very real sense, cloth like this was the raw material of empire. It is fascinating to consider how such values are subtly embedded in its material and construction.