Is This Man Crocheting???

[redhead54]

http://www.marquise.de/en/1500/pics/1537_1.shtml

 

I was looking at costumeing sites today and saw this. Does it or does it not look like a crochet hook in this man's hand with a starting chain in front of him? This was art from the 1500's. If my assumption is correct then that would put crochet at a much earlier date than what I suspected!

Any thoughts from you folks?

 

Ana

[Cuddlefish]

Hm, I think he's spinning yarn from that lump of wool that one of the women are holding up on that stick thingie.

[Cuddlefish]

Actually, it looks like the pic is called somthing with Hercules and a woman's name, so I suspect we're dealing with a Roman/Greek semi-deity who's for some sneaky purpose dressed up as an old woman and snug into the women's company. It would be so like them!

[Qmare]

Looks like he's spinning to me

[fruggs]

looks like he is spinning to me, the thingy that looks like a starting chain is his necklace i think:)

[mimi_mia]

hmmmmmmmmmmmm, looks strange whatever he's doing!

[redhead54]

Okay, thanks ya'll. I won't raise the alarm to my history group.

 

His beard is really a funny shape though and I couldn't figure out if it was a starting chain for crochet or if his beard was braided! It sure faked me out but it would have been great if it HAD been crochet! I've never seen spinning being done.

 

Ana

[Stitchinpick]

I think the "chain" you see by his hand is a necklace behind his hand.

 

 

Stitchinpick

Linda

Reno, NV

[mudpie]

I'm no history buff, but I remember someone telling me that crochet (in a slightly different form) was used many many years ago by men on fishing nets.

[jacqui]

He is spinning with a spindle using the fiber from the distaff the lady is holding. It was more common for men to spin and to knit back in that time as every one wore hand knitted hose. They developed knitting guilds back then which were exclusively male. Jacqui

[mythunderbird]

:eek :eek :eek

They developed knitting guilds back then which were exclusively male. Jacqui

welll at least we women share our love for knitting and crocheting. thank gosh that time era is passed:lol :lol

[crochetingfool]

Looks like he's spinning to me....

[redhead54]

He is spinning with a spindle using the fiber from the distaff the lady is holding. It was more common for men to spin and to knit back in that time as every one wore hand knitted hose. They developed knitting guilds back then which were exclusively male. Jacqui

 

Thanks for the history trivia. That's pretty cool that men did the knitting/sprang back then.

[Lowrancer]

looks more like he is spining, as far as the beard many people used to square their beards in that fashion to create the illusion of a strong chin which was considered a trait of strength and leadership.

[RebeccaVelasquez]

he's definitely spinning. the lady on the right side of the pic in the orange dress... see her right hand - she's drawing the fibers from the wool coming off the stick, then if you'll look at what he has in his hand - it's a spindle. see the spun yarn forming on it?

 

:D

[luckygrrl]

I am totally amused because when I first looked at it, I thought he had two skinny braids coming down the sides of his face, and that he was doing something with the hook attached to his hair. lol