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Picadil

1600-1620 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

During the early 17th century, formal neckwear such as ruffs and starched collars needed support. Flat collars and the wide circles of gathered linen that made up ruffs had to be held up at the back of the neck in order to frame the face properly. A variety of materials were used to make such supports; this example is made of card covered with satin. It is closed in front for a ruff or collar that encircled the face. Such supports were called by a range of different names: ‘supportasse’ (a French term), underpropper, pickadil or rebato (an Italian name).


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk, linen, pasteboard, paper; hand-woven, hand-sewn
Brief description
Man's ivory silk satin picadil, 1600-20, English; over pasteboard
Physical description
Man’s picadil of ivory silk satin over two layers of pasteboard, padded with wool. There are 50 individual satin-covered paper picadils radiating around the outer edge. It fastens at the front neck; only the eye remains on the left side. A neckband of linen (originally covered with ivory satin) is sewn to the inside edge.
Dimensions
  • Length: 22.5cm (approx)
  • Width: 24.5cm (approx)
  • Height: 0.4cm
Credit line
Given by Lady Spickernell
Summary
During the early 17th century, formal neckwear such as ruffs and starched collars needed support. Flat collars and the wide circles of gathered linen that made up ruffs had to be held up at the back of the neck in order to frame the face properly. A variety of materials were used to make such supports; this example is made of card covered with satin. It is closed in front for a ruff or collar that encircled the face. Such supports were called by a range of different names: ‘supportasse’ (a French term), underpropper, pickadil or rebato (an Italian name).
Bibliographic reference
Luca Costigliolo, ‘Silk satin picadil’, in 17th-Century Men’s Dress Patterns, 1600-1630, by Melanie Braun et al. Thames & Hudson and V&A Museum, 2016, pp.145-151.
Collection
Accession number
T.32-1938

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Record createdJuly 24, 2007
Record URL
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