Cowl Collection

LUCA PACIOLI (1445?-?1514). Italian mathematician and Franciscan friar. Painting, 16th century

ST. BRENDAN: MASS. St. Brendan and his monks celebrate Mass on the back of a whale. Color engraving after a medieval illumination

Carthusian monks process to matins at 2 am
Carthusian monks in cowls and habits process to matins at 2 am

Girl & Beach Ball 1950S
Windswept young lady, wearing shorts & a stripey dolman (batwing) sleeved top with cowl collar leans against a large beach ball to have her photograph taken

Cluniac Monk
Cluniac monk of Melton Mowbray, England, with his cowl

ROBIN HOOD. Friar Tuck marries Robin Hood and Maid Marian. Illustration from a late 19th century American juvenile edition

Thomas Becket (c. 1118-70) washing the feet of beggars (engraving)
KW212275 Thomas Becket (c.1118-70) washing the feet of beggars (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; Ken Welsh; English, out of copyright

Chrysler Imperial CG Dual Cowl Phaeton 1931 Red 2-tone

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS (1225?-1274). Italian philosopher: Italian engraving, 1812

English Cluniac Monk
A CLUNIAC MONK of Melton Mowbray, England, depicted without his cowl

A brethren of the Order of the Misericordia in Florence, 1900 (photo)
5314798 A brethren of the Order of the Misericordia in Florence, 1900 (photo) by Unknown photographer, (20th century); (add.info.: Historical Geography. 1900. Italy)

13th century figures from stained-glass windows, Freiburg Minste , 1889 (chromolithograph)
5912595 13th century figures from stained-glass windows, Freiburg Minste , 1889 (chromolithograph); (add.info.: St. Catherine of Alexandria with sword and halo)

Client: Ideal Home - Roden Norman
Client: Ideal Home - Shoot to promote the selling of advertising space - the Advertisement Manager was Roden Norman (pictured). Date: circa late 1960s

Moonlit Rapids, 1847. Creator: Carl Gustaf Plagemann
Moonlit Rapids, 1847

Cripple with Cowl, c1616. Creator: Jacques Callot
Cripple with Cowl, c1616. From Les Gobbi

England, Kent, Converted Oast Houses aka Oasts Chimneys near Tunbridge Wells

Death seizes the Mendicant Friar as he enters a convent with his money-box and wallet.. Handcolored engraving by Chretien de Mechel from Hans Holbein's The Triumph of Death

Amused monk writing in a lonely hermitage, 1881, Germany, Historic, digital reproduction of an original 19th-century
1 person, 1900s, 19th-century, activities, activity, alone, belief, believer, believers, christian, clergyman, clergymen, cowl, cowls, desolate, devout, digital, digitally, europe's, faith

Reading the Newspaper by the Monks in the Monastery, 1888, Austria, Historical
1900s, 19th-century, 3 people, abbey, abbeys, activities, activity, belief, believer, believers, books, building, buildings, characteristic, christian, clergyman, clergymen, cowl, cowls, culture

Brother Jean des Entommeurs, illustration from Gargantua
XIR287728 Brother Jean des Entommeurs, illustration from Gargantua by Francois Rabelais (1494-1553) engraved by Paul Jonnard-Pacel (d.1902) (engraving) (b/w photo) by Dore

Two Franciscan Friars (chalks on paper)
449340 Two Franciscan Friars (chalks on paper) by Rubens, Peter Paul (1577-1640); 56x40.3 cm; eThe Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth; (add.info.: Study for The Last Communion of St Francis)

Le Pere Mersenne (litho)
STC409094 Le Pere Mersenne (litho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Marin Mersenne (1588-1648), French theologian, philosopher

Tis not the Cowl that Makes the Monk. Artists interpretation of a traditional proverb. Artist: Helen GC Marsh Lambert. Date: circa 1916

Gertrude Anne of Hohenberg, queen of King Rudolf
Gertrude Anne of Hohenberg, 1225-1281, queen of King Rudolf I of Germany, and her son Charles, d.1276. Kaiserin Anna Gertraud, Karl. From her tomb in Basel Minster

Friars cowl or larus, Arisarum vulgare. Arum arisarum Linn. Sp. plant 1370. Arisarum a larges feuilles. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Jean Victor Dupin junior from Pierre Joseph Buchoz

Mandrake, female, Mandragora officinarum, Atropa mandragora, Mandragore femelle. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Jean Victor Dupin junior from Pierre Joseph Buchoz Herbier Artificial

Bust of St. Antoninus (1389-1459) (painted wood)
BAT192555 Bust of St. Antoninus (1389-1459) (painted wood) by Italian School; Convento di San Marco, Florence, Italy; (add.info)

Portrait of Marin Mersenne (1588-1648) engraved by Balthazar Moncornet (c
CBF171086 Portrait of Marin Mersenne (1588-1648) engraved by Balthazar Moncornet (c.1600-68) (engraving) by French School, (17th century); The Cobbe Collection Trust

Monk in Meditation (oil on canvas)
BRN190572 Monk in Meditation (oil on canvas) by Greco, El (Domenico Theotocopuli) (1541-1614); The Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; eBarnes Foundation; Greek, out of copyright

Friars cowl, Arisarum vulgare. Handcoloured woodblock engraving of a botanical illustration from Adam Lonicers Krauterbuch, or Herbal, Frankfurt, 1557

Margaret of Savoy / Austria, Regent of the Netherlands, pub. 1902 (collotype)
1073605 Margaret of Savoy/Austria, Regent of the Netherlands, pub. 1902 (collotype) by Orley, Bernard van (c.1488-1541) (workshop of); Private Collection; (add.info)

Detail of a historiated initial with an illustration of a vintner at work
ARN170177 Detail of a historiated initial with an illustration of a vintner at work, from the Register of the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Pres (vellum) by French School

Apparatus for ventilation (litho)
6013424 Apparatus for ventilation (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Apparatus for ventilation)

The tomb of Philip the Bold (1342-1404) detail of two mourners
XIR83468 The tomb of Philip the Bold (1342-1404) detail of two mourners, from the Church of Chartreuse at Champmol, 1385-1404 (marble) (see also 83467) by Sluter, Claus (fl.1379-1405) & Marville

Portrait of Dom Baudouin du Basset of Gaillon, 1716 (oil on canvas)
PWI91065 Portrait of Dom Baudouin du Basset of Gaillon, 1716 (oil on canvas) by Restout, Jean II (1692-1768); 82x65 cm; Musee des Beaux-Arts, Rouen

Scheme for the Ventilation of Sewers (engraving)
5204480 Scheme for the Ventilation of Sewers (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Scheme for the Ventilation of Sewers)

Sketches of Abyssinian Costumes (engraving)
1622592 Sketches of Abyssinian Costumes (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sketches of Abyssinian Costumes)

St. Francis in Prayer in a Grotto, 1650-55 (oil on canvas)
1267953 St. Francis in Prayer in a Grotto, 1650-55 (oil on canvas) by Zurbaran, Francisco de (1598-1664); 157.5 x100.5 cm; San Diego Museum of Art, USA; (add.info.: St)

Portrait of an Olivetan Monk, c. 1515 (oil on canvas)
3615965 Portrait of an Olivetan Monk, c.1515 (oil on canvas) by Peruzzi, Baldassarre (1481-1536) (and workshop); 97.2x72.7 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Portrait of Marin Mersenne (1588-1648) engraved by Duflos (engraving)
CBF171085 Portrait of Marin Mersenne (1588-1648) engraved by Duflos (engraving) by French School, (17th century); The Cobbe Collection Trust

St. Dominic (c. 1170-1221) (fresco)
BAT192520 St. Dominic (c.1170-1221) (fresco) by Bartolomeo, Fra (Baccio della Porta)(1472-1517) (school of); Museo di San Marco, Florence

The monks of Christchurch expelled, 14 July 1207, from A Chronicle of England BC 55 to AD
984748 The monks of Christchurch expelled, 14 July 1207, from A Chronicle of England BC 55 to AD 1485, pub. London, 1863 (colour litho) by Doyle

TUNIC DRESS 1934
Platinum blonde wears a halter neck long line tunic in pale blue satin with scarf-like drapery attached at the shoulder. Worn over a black velvet skirt. Date: 1934

EyeUbiquitous_20105716
Architecture, Building Detail, Rain top chimney cowl on top of stainless steel flue of wood burning stove

A portrait of an Egyptian woman, c1920s. Plate taken From In the Land of the Pharaohs, published by Lehnert & Landrock (Cairo)

Khiva, Uzbekistan, 1895. From The Universal Geography with Illustrations and Maps, division XII, written by Elisee Reclus and published by Virtue & Co. Limited (London, 1895)

Two hooded women from Faial, Portugal, and San Miguel, Spain, c1900s. From The Universal Geography with Illustrations and Maps, division XXII, written by Elisee Reclus and published by Virtue & Co

Saint Colette (1381-1447), c16th century (1849). A 19th century version based on an original earlier manuscript illustration

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"Cowl: A Symbol of Devotion and Diversity" The concept of a cowl transcends time and cultures, representing various aspects of life. From Luca Pacioli's meticulous calculations to St. Brendan's unique Mass celebration on the back of a whale, the cowl has been intertwined with diverse narratives. In medieval times, Carthusian monks would solemnly process to matins at 2 am, their cowls serving as a symbol of dedication and discipline. Meanwhile, in the carefree 1950s, a girl joyfully plays with a beach ball while sporting her fashionable attire - including an iconic cowl neck sweater. Even fictional characters like Friar Tuck from Robin Hood found love under the protection of his humble cowl when he married Robin Hood and Maid Marian. The image is reminiscent of unity amidst adversity. Not limited to human figures alone, even automobiles have embraced the elegance associated with cowls. The Chrysler Imperial CG Dual Cowl Phaeton from 1931 stands out in its vibrant red two-tone paint job - an embodiment of luxury and sophistication. Religious figures also find solace within this garment; Thomas Becket humbly washes the feet of beggars while wearing his distinctive cowl in an engraving that captures both humility and compassion. Similarly, Saint Thomas Aquinas' intellectual pursuits are depicted through an Italian engraving showcasing him adorned in his scholarly robes. From English Cluniac Monks to St. Francis of Assisi himself, cowls have played significant roles throughout history—symbolizing devotion to faith or philosophical ideals—a testament to their enduring presence across centuries. Whether it be mathematicians seeking precision or preachers spreading messages of peace, cowls serve as visual representations connecting individuals across different walks of life—an emblematic reminder that diversity can coexist harmoniously under one common thread.