Plague doctor costume
A thick leather costume worn by plague doctors to protect them from "miasma" considered infectious. The costume, used in Europe in the 17th century, consisted of a hooded overcoat, boots, gloves, and trousers which covered the entire body. It also had a beaked mask filled with aromatic substances, a wide-brimmed hat, and an outer over-clothing garment. The leather was coated with wax to repel any bodily fluids during patient visits.
The costume is attributed to French doctor Charles de Lorme.
The frontispiece of Jean-Jacques Manget's 1721 Treatise on the Plague depicts the costume.
The costume is also associated with a commedia dell'arte character called Il Medico della Peste, who wears a distinctive mask worn during the Carnival of Venice.
