Toreador suit

In the pictureA short jacket lies open against a white background. The off-white silk, now yellowed, is embroidered all over with blue birds and assorted flowers, and on both front panels with Asian-style figures in long blue robes; a small figure in orange also appears below the left sleeve. Clusters of pinkish silk knot trimming hang at the shoulders, the front edges, and the cuffs, with small glass ornaments set among them. The edges are bordered with a gold fringed band. The shoulder ornament on the right side of the image is worn and coming unraveled, and an off-white lining and pink cloth show on the inside.

BackgroundAs the accession number 1979.476.1a–c indicates, this is one suit made up of the jacket (41.6 cm) and two further parts 36.8 cm and 83.8 cm long; the image shows only the jacket. The materials are silk, metallic thread, glass, and cotton. A toreador's costume is defined by its short jacket and heavy shoulder ornaments, and because the trimmings glitter in the light it is called the "suit of lights." Unlike other toreador suits whose surfaces are covered in gold thread, this jacket has pictorial thread embroidery filling the ground. It was purchased in 1979 with a fund from the bequest of Irene Lewisohn, who founded the forerunner of the Met's Costume Institute.

Puzzle tipThe off-white ground looks broad, but the two figures in blue and the blue birds are good reference points. Fit the pink knot clusters on both shoulders and the cuff trimmings first, and the outline of the jacket takes shape. Then join the gold border band down the front edges and put in the off-white lining in the middle and the pink cloth below. The two sleeves stretch long and downward, so work back up from the cuff knots toward the shoulders. Fill in the white background last. Starting with 48 pieces is a good idea.