Pourpoint

Pourpoint de Charles Deblois in the museum of textiles in Lyon

The pourpoint (formerly called jack or paltock) was a garment worn by noblemen in the late 14th century in civilian or military situations. It is not to be confused with the earlier gambeson. This garment is known for its wasp waisted and round silhouette achieved thanks to its sewing pattern, its quilting and its "grande assiette" style sleeves.

Etymology

Pourpoint is a loan from the French "pourpoint" which came from the Middle French noun "Pourpoint" (meaning doublet, jack and paltock) from the Middle French "pourpoindre" (meaning to quilt or to embroider) which came from the Latin "perpunctus".

In the medieval period, the word pourpoint wasn't used in English. Instead, they were commonly referred to as jacks or paltocks.

History

The pourpoint marked a major shift in western European fashion as it led to people moving away from the boxy silhouettes of ancient and medieval clothes into the elaborate garb of the modern period which began their development in the 15th century. The pourpoint was invented as a military garment which cut into the waist in order to prepare the body for the breastplate that sat between the ribs and the pelvis. Thus, shifting its weight from the shoulders to the hips.

Instead of wearing the armor's weight on the shoulders, late medieval knights opted to distribute their harness' weight throughout the body. Eventually, this garment started being worn by noble men in their day-to-day lives as outer garments (over the undertunic) replacing the tunic.

As soon as the 15th century, manuscripts depict people wearing doublets instead.

The word was also used for a women's garment in the 16th century. An inventory of the wardrobe of Mary, Queen of Scots at Chartley Castle in 1586, written in French, lists fifteen "pourpoincts" of satin, taffeta, and canvas. These were described as doublets in later lists.

Design

Pattern

Diagram of a pourpoint

The pourpoint featured many sewing techniques unseen in 21st century clothes. These include the ogee shaped front panels which make the torso rounder by forcing the belly inwards, an armscye big enough to cover part of the ribs and chest (grande assiette style) and curved sleeves designed to allow mobility despite the light padding and tight fitting woven fabric.

Fabric

Many fabrics have been used for the pourpoint but the main ones are wool, fustian silk Lampas and silk satin/canvas of Reims as outer fabrics. The same fabrics were used as lining but soft wool fabrics were commonly used even by the nobility. As for interlining, wool fabrics such as "blanchet" and "carisé" were used. Blanchet was an umbrella term for white canvas of varying qualities and prices while carisé was a twill rudimentary wool fabric imported from england to france and the dutchy of burgundy otherwise, strong linen or cotton was used.

Doublets made of silk fabric were worn in the battlefield.