More on the pre Revolution Frock/Hunting shirt.

By now most of you will know that the caped and frilled hunting shirt was an American Revolution period item, and was not worn before this period. The European worker's frock however was very popular in the New World and would have been introduced by the English, French, German, Dutch and other nations settling in this new country.
We know that this frock was in use during the 18th century and right through to the mid 19th century as a plain frock made from either a coarse linen, hemp, or wool. I have said in the past that I believed this frock to date back to the medieval period, though it may have been called by another name. Recently whilst researching something else (isn't it always the way!), I came across a 16th century painting showing a man in a butcher's shop wearing this same shirt style work frock.

Butcher's Shop by Annibale Carracci, 1580.

Detail from above painting.

The author wearing his 18th century frock.

Annibale Carracci was an Italian painter.