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Mollys (Game Art)
Yep, more game art. This time for an article in an upcoming book handling thieves, beggars, and street crime. The topic for this illustration: mollys.
According to the article, its medieval slang for street walkers (in 7th Sea, they used the name "Jennys" though made them out more like geisha). However, the article on the Palliards (a guild of professional beggars and thieves) isn't gong to beat around the bushes (at it were) and hence this illustration.
The hair on the halfling is made to look slightly artificial in this picture because it's likely a red wig. It's red to advertise their profession and many of them wear it because if they get caught soliciting in the wrong parts of tow, they get punished by being put in stocks and having their hair shaved off in front of the jeering mob (jeez, but that's medieval justice for yah).
According to the article, its medieval slang for street walkers (in 7th Sea, they used the name "Jennys" though made them out more like geisha). However, the article on the Palliards (a guild of professional beggars and thieves) isn't gong to beat around the bushes (at it were) and hence this illustration.
The hair on the halfling is made to look slightly artificial in this picture because it's likely a red wig. It's red to advertise their profession and many of them wear it because if they get caught soliciting in the wrong parts of tow, they get punished by being put in stocks and having their hair shaved off in front of the jeering mob (jeez, but that's medieval justice for yah).
Category All / Fantasy
Species Hobbit
Size 568 x 791px
File Size 109.1 kB
A branding mark. Remember the part I said about Medieval justice and vice laws? According to the sources, second strike is a brand (a la the Scarlet Letter), with "P" for prostitute. Third strike involved cutting off her nose to spite her face (EEK!). If that sounds bad, consider that not so very long ago the Taliban simply ordered women being suspected of being adulterous to be stoned to death. :o
I can't say for sure but wig making was a booming business as far back as ancient Egypt and by Roman times there were wig-maker guilds. And to answer your other question, most wigs until the 19th century was made from human hair. In fact the first realistic ceramic dolls from the Stuart period until the 20th century also used human hair.
According to the "Worst Jobs in History" show (hosted by the actor who played Baldric in the BBC Black Adder series) many poor women grew their hair long and then sheared it to sell to wig and doll makers, getting a few pennies (or francs in Paris) for a full head of hair.
Until more recent times the importance of wigs was not just due to balding. Historically hygiene isn't what is now and head lice has been an ancient problem. The solution was to cut your hair to a marine cut which isn't always fashionable so you bought a pair of wigs done up in the latest hair-style and wear one for a month before sending it to be deloused (another Worst Job in History) and wearing the second.
According to the "Worst Jobs in History" show (hosted by the actor who played Baldric in the BBC Black Adder series) many poor women grew their hair long and then sheared it to sell to wig and doll makers, getting a few pennies (or francs in Paris) for a full head of hair.
Until more recent times the importance of wigs was not just due to balding. Historically hygiene isn't what is now and head lice has been an ancient problem. The solution was to cut your hair to a marine cut which isn't always fashionable so you bought a pair of wigs done up in the latest hair-style and wear one for a month before sending it to be deloused (another Worst Job in History) and wearing the second.
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