GODFRIED SCHALCKEN (MADE 1643-THE HAGUE 1706)
The Game of 'Lady, come into the Garden'
late 1660sRCIN 405343
Although the rules of this raucous parlour game are now lost to us, the forfeit evidently involves the removal of clothing. A disparate collection of garments – far too many for one person to wear – is piled on a low stool while the main victim has stripped to his linen shirt and patterned breeches. The fact that only the lace cravat has been placed on the table is suggestive of the extraordinary expense of such lace items.