Agostino Carracci 02 - Public domain scenic painting

Spanish collar, ruff or gorgera first appeared about 1560, and was at first open at the neck. After 1570 it becomes closed. It was gradually increasing in diameter reaching 25-30 cm, and by the 1580s the collar became known as the “millstone” or “cartwheel” which required a supporting frame. The collar was made from layers of plaited linen or lace. The Dutchwoman Dangen van Pless at the court of the English Queen Elizabeth I introduced starch that was initially yellowish, which made the collars creamy. Some tinted them with saffron in a golden hue and dyed them with natural dyes in pink or lilac colors. The rigidity of gorgera forced its owner to keep his posture, and for his impracticality, ruff became a symbol of wealth and status and contributed to the spread of the fork, the use of which made it possible to protect the collar from soiling with food. Gorgers were banned in Spain by King Philip IV. Spain was involved in endless wars against the growing Protestant world and in desperate need for cash. Philip announced an austerity program, condemned extravagance, and introduced the concept of simple, pragmatic living. Forcing people to live pragmatically was fairly difficult. Eventually, the inquisition found a way - it banned the ruffed collars and starch, as a "tool of the devil". Alquacils, inquisition enforcers of justice, were armed with scissors and prowled the streets of Madrid enforcing the ban. Shops were raided and gorgera merchandise burned. By the middle of the 17th century, ruff had decreased in diameter and almost did not use starch. The fashion lingered longer in the Dutch Republic, where ruffs can be seen in portraits well into the seventeenth century. In Germany and Flanders, ruff was worn until the beginning of the 18th century. In the 18th century, it remained for a long time among the Jews as an obligatory part of the costume.

Agostino Carracci was an Italian painter and printmaker born in Bologna in 1557. He was the eldest of three brothers, all of whom were artists, including Annibale Carracci and Ludovico Carracci. Agostino began his artistic training with his father, Antonio Carracci, and later studied with Bartolomeo Passarotti. Agostino was known for his skill as a printmaker and his ability to create realistic and detailed engravings. He also painted a number of religious and mythological scenes, as well as portraits. His style was influenced by the works of Michelangelo and Raphael, as well as the classical art of ancient Greece and Rome. Agostino worked closely with his brothers Annibale and Ludovico, and together they founded the Accademia degli Incamminati in Bologna, dedicated to the study of classical art and the development of a new style that combined elements of the Renaissance with the Baroque. Agostino died in Parma in 1602 at the age of 45. His legacy lives on through his contributions to the development of Baroque art and his influence on the work of other artists such as Peter Paul Rubens.