Museum complex

The camisole

Western Europe (?)
First Quarter of XVIII Century
Cotton fabric; cotton threads; canvas; weaving, hand sewing
Length along the middle of the back 97 cm
Receipt: from the Ethnographic museum in 1934
Showcase 12

This camisole belonged to Peter I. After return from his first trip to Europe Peter I introduced a costume of European cut. On January 4, 1700 he (Peter) issued a Decree on wearing of garments of the Hungarian type. Next year 1701 a new Decree ordered all classes besides plough peasants and priests and clergymen to wear “German dress”. West European men's suit developed in the 1670-ies consisted of three main elements: a coat (justaucorps – precisely by bodyline), camisole and knee long breaches (culottes). In the first quarter of the XVIII Century the cut of a camisole almost repeated the cut of a coat that was worn over it. The difference was mostly in details (slightly shorter, smaller buttons, no cuffs on the sleeves and no fan-shaped folds in the side sections). At home camisoles were worn without a coat. Camisole could have been made of the same fabric as the coat or of cloth of different color. Peter’s camisole is made of the fabric made in Holland. In the wardrobe of the Russian Emperor are several items made of similar fabric.

1

Collections