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 |
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| 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 created | July 24, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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