Burgundian Noblemen's Underclothes c1445-1475

Figure 7.11
1466-7 Loyset Liédet, Gerard de
Roussillon and his wife Berthe
are presented to Charles the
Bold
Figure 7.12
Ca. 1450, MS76/1362. Hours of the Duchess of
Bourgogne. Spectators on the river banks enjoy
scenes of water-tilting
Figure 7.13
1470-71 Hans Memling, Scenes
from the Passion of Christ
Some basic observations:
1. The vast majority of doublets where the front can be seen, the front opening is a
narrow open V. In fact, in the two figures which seem to depict a closed doublet
(figure 10 and 11) I’m not sure the garment we’re looking is the doublet rather
then an over-gown that is similar in shape to a doublet. In pictures where the front
is covered by an over-gown and only the collar is visible, it is rare for the edges of
the collar to meet (for example, figure 14), which in my mind is suggestive of the
hidden doublet beneath having a V front, as are the number of pictures showing
the over-gown open and displaying a white shirt (figure 15).
Figure 7.14
Ca. 1465-70 Burges. Master of the
Harley Froissart, Jean Foissart’s
Chroniques.
Figure 7.15
1447-8 Miniature, illustration from page 1 of Les Chroniques
de Hainaut by Rogier van der Weyden
2. The lacing down the V front is decorative in nature, frequently having a pair of
lacing cords at the neck followed by a space. There may or may not be ties
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