Forehead Cloth
1600-1625 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Like a man's nightcap, a woman's coif and forehead cloth were informal headwear. The forehead cloth was worn under the coif (a small close-fitting cap), and could be decorated to complement it.
In Western Europe it was customary for both men and women to cover their heads outdoors until the 1960s. A hat was an essential part of respectable dress and, from a health perspective, head coverings were considered necessary to protect against chills and disease.
In Western Europe it was customary for both men and women to cover their heads outdoors until the 1960s. A hat was an essential part of respectable dress and, from a health perspective, head coverings were considered necessary to protect against chills and disease.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Linen, embroidered with white linen thread |
| Brief description | Forehead cloth, 1600-1625, English; White linen with cutwork embroidery and bobbin lace edging |
| Physical description | A whitework forehead cloth embroidered in chain and ladder stitch, French knots, and cutwork |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by Miss C. M. Slee |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Like a man's nightcap, a woman's coif and forehead cloth were informal headwear. The forehead cloth was worn under the coif (a small close-fitting cap), and could be decorated to complement it. In Western Europe it was customary for both men and women to cover their heads outdoors until the 1960s. A hat was an essential part of respectable dress and, from a health perspective, head coverings were considered necessary to protect against chills and disease. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.57A-1947 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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