Shaping the Body
by Vivian Anderson
During my exploration of Rome on the free day I was able to learn about Capuchin Friars, a branch of the Catholic Church that follows the writings of Saint Francis of Assisi, and devotes itself to service. Earlier in the week I bought tickets for the Museum and Crypt of Capuchin Friars, a museum that is relatively close to the Fontana di Trevi and the Medici Villa. During this excursion I learned more about who the Capuchins were and their manner of dress. Their uniforms have been dubbed Habits of Trial, as the friars have a strict dress code that prohibits caps and other weather protective gear. This, combined with the measurements that force the garment to lay the same on every friar and the iconic pointed hood, allows Capuchins to be recognizable but simple looking. Around their middle Capuchins have a belt that has three knots marking the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. In our mosaic we have mostly explored designers that aim to be unique in their designs and want to break away from the norm. Even the fat activists that we spoke to early in our trip expressed frustration with the classic designs that are normally placed on clothing for plus-sized people. So seeing the Capuchins have pride in their very simple garb that is recognizable to everyone was certainly a different outlook on clothing. Here what these people were wearing was not the center of their concerns.
Capuchin friar uniform: Image provided by Raffaele V. Forgione on google
Another aspect of their life that stood out to me in the Museum of Capuchin Friars was the evidence of self-flagellation. When speaking about fashion, especially with concerns of comfort and sustainability, health and safety are key priorities. However the tools presented in the museum — two whips, one of knotted cords the other with small metal plates, and the circular chain which hooks on the inside — had a specific purpose to harm the body. This was seen as the friars participating in the suffering that Jesus undertook, not as a punishment. Marking one’s body with a purpose that isn’t inherently negative is definitely a shift from what we have explored. During our trip we have heard of unhealthy and dangerous working conditions where a workplace injury could mean that one loses one’s job, whereas the Capuchins willingly hurt themselves to be closer to Jesus and better understand their work. The view that pain would heighten their devotion and their experience in life is not a view that can be readily observed today. Much of modern day clothing is made with comfort in mind and many people actively avoid unnecessary pain. Therefore, seeing a culture where self-harm was praised is an enormous jump from what we have previously studied.
Self flagellation tools image provided by Silke Eisermann on google
As I was not able to take images in the museum all of the images are provided from the photos on the google provided images.