Secular Canon

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 Secular Canon. Secular Canons and Canonesses differ from the Canons Regular in that they have chosen not to renounce private wealth. The Secular Canon wears a black belted tunic and cloak, with a white collar and a tricorn hat. The collar and hat reflect late 17th and early 18th century fashion. This particular style of collar was typically worn by scholars and churchmen throughout the 18th and into the early 19th century.