Early Pleated Garments
A smock is an English term that was used to describe an
undergarment. One of the earliest mentions of the word is in the English
story “The Miller’ Tale” by Chaucer, in 1390, where the wife is described
as wearing a white smock embroidered in front and behind. (1)
"Whyt was hir smok,
and brooded al before and eek bihinde,
on hir coler aboute,
of col-blak silk, with-inne and eek"
The images of people and clothing from this time is mainly documented
throughout statuary, tapestries and miniatures. Most of the art is religious
in subject and very little exists of the portraiture that comes later.
The clothing is narrower in profile and it is assumed the undergarments
from that time are cut in very straight simple lines.
As we move along in time culture progresses towards a time of conspicuous
consumption. The opulence is seen in the fullness of the clothing. No
longer is it just for movement purposes but for proof of wealth. Towards
the end of the 14th century, the Italians who were in the middle of the
trade routes between the Byzantine Empire and the rest of Europe prospered.
The individual city states became empowered as their citizens turned from
more secular interests to exploring art, music and more importantly a
sense of the individual.
The clothes became fuller and more visible. Necklines lowered and it was
fashionable to see shirts and undergarments. Once they became visible
under the robes and tunics of the era, they would naturally wish to make
them more elaborate and embroidery was one solution.
One of the earliest available garments which seems to feature smocking
type fabric manipulation is that of an 11th century Alb attributed to
St Bernulf, which is located in the Utrecht Rijksmuseum. (2) The alb features gores which are made from 60cm pieces of fine linen which
are pleated into gore inserts. The gore is shirred in what is considered
modernly to be "italian shirring". A technique in which the
gathering threads are laid out in a pattern and when pulled up, form intricate
designs.
What makes this even more interesting is that there is a portrait attributed to Memling, FLight out of Egypt.(Ref No. 35/532) at the Glasgow Museum in which the gore to Mary's dress is obviously pleated in some fashion, most likely in a similar format to that of the alb. The scan of the portrait is difficult to see, I will replace it with a better image from the museum when it arrives.
Another article of clothing very similar to the Alb described above was researched in 1992 upon the opening of a reliquary at the Roman bisilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and it is considered to hold the relics of Saint Thomas, archbishop of Canterbury or Thomas Becket, who died in 1170. The linen garment is not an alb, but is thought to be an underlayer, that would not have been seen under the other clergical garments. (4)
Images of the full garment and close up of the shirring
( click on the images to see larger views, files large, open in a new
window )
Bibliography
1. Medieval
English Literature:: Thomas J Garbaty, Univeristy of Michigan, Waveland
Press, ISBN 0-88133-950-4 “The Millers Tale : Chaucer Pgs 457
2. Textile Conservation and
Research:: Mechthild Flury-Lemberg, Schriften der Abegg-Stiftung,
Bern, ISBN 3-905014-02-5 “Alb of St Bernulf of Utrecht" My thanks to
Marcele de Montsegur for copying this reference for me and to Katherine
Barich for also sending me the images.
3. The Book of Smocking:
Diana Keay - Aero Publishing, NY 1985, pg 6
4. The 'Tunicella' of
Thomas Becket in Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Religion and Art Surrounding
a Sainted 'Politician' : Ursula Nilgen, Provided to me by Katherine
Barich from Shana Gitnick. Translations by Katherine Barich. My gratitude
to these ladies for finding and translating such obscure references
and providing them to me.