It's well known that 18th century sideboards had a cupboard for a chamber-pot, to be used by the gentlemen after the ladies had retired to the drawing-room. No doubt in the more robust 17th century it was considerd OK to do so in mixed company. On the subject of bowdlerised paintings - isn't there a medieval scene (I think in the Tres Riches Heures) showing people warming themselves by a fire, including a man holding up his tunic (?) skirts and showing everything? I've seen a reproduction of that with the relevant area blurred over. Also, Hogarth painted a friend of his leaning out of bed being sick in a chamber pot, which was later repainted at the request of the man's family to make him appear to be reading in bed.
Kate Bunting Librarian and 17th century reenactor _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
