Any study of the codpiece begins with two simple questions: Why did it exist at all, and why did men elect to wear it?
Early in the eighteenth century, visitors to the Tower of London could gaze upon a painted wooden statue of Henry VIII, the English king who’d died some two hundred years before. Royally robed, sceptre in hand, the likeness befitted Henry’s reputation for extravagance, right down to its lascivious secret mechanism: “If you press a spot on the floor with your feet,” one observer wrote, “you will see something surprising with regard to this figure, but I will not say more.
Good questions, both, but any study of the codpiece begins with simpler ones: Why did it exist at all, and why did men elect to wear it? Theories abound. The historian Grace Vicary has argued that codpieces were, in a sense, the P.P.E. of their day, born as a means of containing a disease—in this case syphilis, which was then sweeping through Europe.
Thus the codpiece, designed for discretion, became instead a rigid contrivance. Historians have compared it to “a permanent erection,” noting that it was “so voluminous it could serve as a pocket.” And indeed it did, offering convenient storage for one’s hankie or a stray orange, in addition to “ballads, bottles, napkins, pistols, hair, and even a looking glass,” as the scholar Will Fisher has written. With great size comes great decorative responsibility, and men of means rose to the occasion.
Too often, though, Glover reaches for that overripe fruit, as when he writes, “It seems you just can’t keep a good codpiece down.” When he exclaims that “only a mere letter” separates the French word for codpiece,—“that faux cod-phallus, crispy and hard on the surface yet so yielding at its center”—he seems guilty of the same “self-puffery” he mocks. “It was as normal to wear a codpiece,” he writes, “as it is to wear, say, a padded bra in our own day. And yet, and yet, we still wonder about it.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
A Brief History of Timekeeping: A new book explores how we mark timePhysicist Chad Orzel’s new book is an enthusiastic romp through the history of our species’ love of clocks and calendars
Read more »
A Brief History of Zendaya and Tom Holland Flirting PubliclyThey’ve reached the “walking with coffee mugs” stage.
Read more »
Virus-ravaged Iran finds brief respite with mass vaccinationWhile the West sees vaccination rates slowing and infections soaring with the spread of omicron, Iran for once is not seeing grim COVID-19 statistics dominate the headlines.
Read more »
Sheriff's Deputies Lose Suspect Wanted For Burglary In DTLA Following Brief PursuitLACSD deputies were in pursuit of a burglary suspect on Thursday. The vehicle was booked going speeds of up to 120 miles per hour, as the driver recklessly swerved through traffic.
Read more »
A Brief Look at of Some of the Richest NFT Collectors of all Time | HackerNoonAs you may know, Apollo42 tracks top NFT traders based on profit made. Notably, that means the top wallet holders are sure to stand out among the rest. We took the time to examine these top traders so you can learn a little more about stories and people behind those shocking NFT profits.
Read more »
No New Teslas For 2022, Gordon Murray's New 11,100-RPM T.33, And LWB Jeep Grand Wagoneer: Your Morning Brief | CarscoopsNo New Teslas For 2022, Gordon Murray's New 11,100-RPM T.33, And LWB Jeep Grand Wagoneer: Your Morning Brief | Carscoops carscoops
Read more »