Textiles

Société d'histoire In Memoriam, Manoir Mauvide-Genest

With a few exceptions, a majority of textiles used in New France were imported due to royal policies aimed at keeping the colonies dependent on the metropole. Today, the bulk of existing French colonial textiles in museum and private collections are religious vestments or altar coverings, many of which were made by skilled nuns in North America. In light of such a low survival rate, inventories provide some of the best descriptions of those used in domestic interiors and even those worn as clothing and sold in colonial stores. These same documents underscore the high value of textiles, including upholstery, bedding, wall hangings, and window treatments, compared to other property. In many cases, textiles are equal to precious metals such as silver in terms of worth, surpassing furniture and even art. Fulfilling utilitarian needs in the form of sheets, napkins, and curtains, textiles could also be decorative. Ornamental tapestries imported from the metropole enlivened colonial interiors at the same time that they provided warmth and insulation.

Rugs/Tapis

Point de Hongrie

Damask/Damas

Serge

Indienne

Tapestry/Tapisserie