Woman with a Ruff Collar by Rembrandt Van Rijn - Art Print

A ruff is an item of clothing worn in Western Europe from the mid-sixteenth century to the mid-seventeenth century. The ruff which was worn by men, women and children, evolved from the small fabric ruffle at the drawstring neck of the shirt or chemise. They served as changeable pieces of cloth that could themselves be laundered while keeping the wearer's doublet from becoming soiled at the neckline. The discovery of starch allowed ruffs to be made wider without losing their shape. Later ruffs were separate garments that could be washed, starched, and set into elaborate figure-of-eight folds by the use of heated cone-shaped goffering irons. Ruffs were often colored during starching, vegetable dyes were used to give the ruff a yellow, pink or mauve tint. A pale blue color could also be obtained via the use of smalt, though for an unknown reason Elizabeth I took against this color and issued a Royal Prerogative 'Her Majesty's pleasure is that no blue starch shall be used or worn by any of her Majesty's subjects. The discovery of starch allowed ruffs to be made wider without losing their shape. Later ruffs were separate garments that could be washed, starched, and set into elaborate figure-of-eight folds by the use of heated cone-shaped goffering irons. Ruffs were often colored during starching, vegetable dyes were used to give the ruff a yellow, pink or mauve tint. A pale blue color could also be obtained via the use of smalt, though for an unknown reason Elizabeth I took against this color and issued a Royal Prerogative 'Her Majesty's pleasure is that no blue starch shall be used or worn by any of her Majesty's subjects.' At their most extreme, ruffs were a foot or more wide.
1630/Metropolitan Museum, USA

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