Difference between a Schecke, a Wams and a Kittel

[mmcnealy]

Here's a pictoral example that clearly shows the difference between a Schecke and a Wams.

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Geißelung der Hl. Katharina
Dieses Bild: 002586
Kunstwerk: Tafelmalerei ; Tafel des Katharinaaltars ; Pacher Friedrich ; Südtirol
Dokumentation: 1480 ; 1480 ; Neustift ; Italien ; Südtirol ; Stiftsgalerie
http://www.imareal.oeaw.ac.at/server/images/7004085.JPG

From left to right we have three figures that we can clearly see the waists on, a man in green, a man in red and a man in gold and black stripes.

The men in green and red are wearing Schecke, their doublets have a longer skirt on the bottom. The man in gold and black stripes is wearing a Wams, and this is still my favorite Wams picture ever due to the beautiful view we get of the construction in the back.

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Here's another picture, this time of two men, one in a Kittel (green) and one in a Wams (red).

Geißelung Christi
Dieses Bild: 000895
Kunstwerk: Tafelmalerei ; Flügelaltar ; Meister des Fastentuchs ; Steiermark ; Mt:27:001-031 , Mk:15:001-020 , Jo:19:001-008
Dokumentation: 1460 ; 1470 ; St. Lambrecht ; Österreich ; Steiermark ; Stiftsgalerie
** Full picture **
http://www.imareal.oeaw.ac.at/server/images/7002800.JPG

** Detail shot of back of Wams, showing the lovely seams**
http://www.imareal.oeaw.ac.at/server/images/7002801.JPG

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The Kittle appears to be a pretty basic tunic, its not a heavily engineered fighting garment like the Wams is. Check out the seam lines in both of the Wams pictures, there's some serious engineering and attention paid to how fabric has been shaped to the body and using the grainline to enhance performance.

Comments

[joysdaughter.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing all the images - I love the first one, with the gown with the bound armholes, and have copied it to my own references - hope you don't mind - just for private drooling really.

[mmcnealy.livejournal.com]

Nope, I don't mind at all! That's what I post these research posts for, so that people can be inspired by and use these resources.