Calced Carmelite Friar

This figure is one of a set of 50 dressed to represent the outfits worn by Catholic religious orders. They are made of tow (hemp) with wax heads, hands and feet. They were probably made in France, as they are labelled in French, but some of the orders represented were only active in Germany and the Netherlands.

This figure represents a calced Carmelite friar. The Carmelites are one of the oldest religious orders. Following reforms in the mid-16th century, the Carmelites separated into two distinct groups. The original Carmelites are described as ‘calced’ (wearing shoes), while discalced Carmelites, or Teresians, went barefoot. Carmelites are contemplative, focusing on study and the development of spiritual understanding. Calced Carmelites and Teresians wear identical habits, consisting of a brown tunic and scapular, and a white cloak.