Doublet-matching codpiece, circa 1400?

[Klaus the Red]

I recently ran across this image on Pinterest and chased it to its source: the so-called Tarot of Charles VI (1368-1422), from an exhibit at the BNF. Their website dates this deck to the "end of the 15th century," an assessment with which I heartily disagree- the artistic style and fashion of the clothes place it around 1390-1420. (And who ever said the French could date anything accurately? Witness the brigandine associated with the Dauphin's armor in Chartres. But I digress…)

Anyhoo, to the point- this guy appears to have joined hose with a codpiece made of the same material as his doublet. It COULD be the plain white linen of his braies, but A) the chevron-shape suggests the same pattern as the doublet fabric, and B) the doublet itself is so short that I doubt it would be worn with old-fashioned split hose. The matching fabric does make the doublet look as though it's made with a "crotch strap" like a leotard, though my gut tells me this would be less comfortable to wear than a conventional pair of hosen with the codpiece built in (and I've never seen evidence for a "descending codpiece" design anywhere else).

Thoughts?

Here's the link to the article: http://expositions.bnf.fr/renais/arret/3/1.htm

[Mac]

Klaus,

I'm puzzled by this guy as well. My best guess is that he has stripped down to his (rather nice) doublet to fence or fight, and we are just seeing his braies. The lines are the seams of a crotch gusset like these...



I am collecting pics of braies here... https://www.pinterest.com/macs_shop/underwear/

Mac