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 Jesuit Priest. The Jesuits are members of the Society of Jesus, a Catholic religious order of priests founded by Ignatius of Loyola in 1534. The Jesuits acted as Catholic missionaries and founded many schools and colleges. The Jesuit Priest wears a black tunic, belt and cap.
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