I’ve been spending some time doing what I, preciously, call digital window shopping. It’s really just costume research: looking at paintings and extant garments when available. Since I’m not a historical reenactor, I’m really just looking for cool elements that I can Frankenstein together.
Today I browsed some portraits (and one garment) from the Met with a particular eye towards shirts:
16th century Italian Shirt:
Wide body gathered to collar; arm not gathered at shoulder, gathered at wrist
Hermann von Wedigh III, Hans Holbein the Younger, 1532:
Embroidered collar (over pleats?) of geometric pattern in white thread; small ruffle with decorated edge–fine lace or picot edge; two sets of ties with single loops
The Musicians, Caravaggio, 1597:
Sorry, just fanboying over the fabric for the shirts. Asfhkjdshgkdjg.
Portait of a Man, Jan Gossart, 1520-25:
Plain band collar? No front opening. Some kind of silver bead or knot embellishment. Lovely rendering of the fine gathers of the shirt body.
Friedrich III, Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1533:
Embroidered collar band, topped with a small ruffle. No visible front opening–artistic choice, style of shirt?
Portrait of a Man, Workshop of Hans Holbein the Younger, 1535:
Tall collar band with two ties, no ruffle on edge; collar is open and turned back, revealing the inside
Lady Rich (Elizabeth Jenks), Workshop of Hans Holbein the Younger, 1540:
Shirt secured with two of three ties, in single loop knots, is not pulled completely flush/shut; collar band topped with small ruffle–a sheer fabric with solid edge (hemming method?)
Portait of a Man, Workshop of Quinten Massys, ?1466-1530?:
Collar of stitched pleatwork, no band or ruffle; two different kinds of shirt cuffs??
Amateur Bard 
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