Habit of an Italian Gentleman in 1626

by Thomas Jefferys

In this remarkable copperplate engraving, we can witness the transformation of the attire of Europeans from the formality of the Renaissance period to the ornate and elaborate Baroque style.

The "Italian Gentleman" does not only wear clothing, he wears an outfit, or rather a uniform of sorts, which signifies his high social rank. His profile is characterized by the slashed doublet, most probably made of silk or velvet material, which exposes the exquisite linen underneath. It is accompanied by the emblematic falling lace collar that superseded the restrictive ruff worn in earlier times. The man wears loose breeches, whose bottoms meet the funnel-shaped tops of soft leather shoes. These accessories allude to the daring attitude of the aristocratic class of the seventeenth century.