Also 8 Vandike, 8–9 Vandyck. [From the name of Sir Anthony Vandyke (Anglicized spelling of Van Dyck), the great Flemish painter (1599–1641).]
1. A painting or portrait by Vandyke.
1751. H. Walpole, Lett. (1846), II. 395. The whole-length Vandykes went for a song!
1888. Mrs. H. Ward, R. Elsmere, 542. The ball-room, lined with Vandycks and Lelys.
2. A broad lace or linen collar or neckerchief with a deeply cut edge, in imitation of the style of collar freq. depicted in portraits by Vandyke, forming an article of fashionable dress in the 18th century.
1755. Gentl. Mag., XXV. 324. Circling round her iv’ry neck Frizzle out the smart Vandike.
1769. Granger, Biogr. Hist. Eng., Chas. I., I. 571. Laced handkerchiefs, resembling the large falling band worn by the men, were in fashion among the ladies: this article of dress has been lately revived, and called a Vandyck.
1838. Hawthorne, Amer. Note-bks. (1868), I. 242. One of them … attempts to exchange a worked vandyke.
3. One of a number of deep-cut points on the border or fringe of an article of apparel (see quot. 1882). Usu. in pl.
1827. Souvenir, I. 151/3 (Stanford). Tulle pelisse, with three vandykes on the shoulders, forming epaulettes.
1831. G. R. Porter, Silk Manuf., 230. The particular form required whether as vandykes, or scallops, or any other figures.
1858. Ladies’ Treasury, Sept., 185. The body has a bertha cut in vandykes.
1882. Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, 510/1. Vandykes, this term is descriptive of a particular pointed form cut as a decorative border to collars and other portions of wearing apparel, and to the trimmings of dress skirts and bodices.
4. transf. A notched, deeply indented, or zigzag border, edging, or formation.
1846. Ruskin, Let., Wks. 1909, XXXVI. 64. A bridge … with this pretty vandyke outside by way of variety.
1891. Daily News, 14 Oct., 2/8. The whole coast is a vandyke of bays and clefts and promontories.
5. techn. (See quot.)
1846. Holtzapffel, Turning, II. 736. (Buhl work), Brass borders, technically known as vandykes, are worked in narrow slips.
6. Used attrib. or as adj. in designating things associated in some way with Vandyke or his paintings, as Vandyke beard, border, brown, couching, etc. (see quots. and cf. prec. senses).
1894. Westm. Gaz., 25 June, 8/1. Everyone is now wearing a pointed V-shaped *Vandyck beard, while a few years ago the Vandyck beard was unknown.
1880. Paper & Print. Trades Jrnl., xxx. 29. Each page having a deep *Vandyke border.
1850. Weale, Dict. Terms, *Vandyke Brown,… a species of peat or bog-earth, of a fine deep semi-transparent brown colour.
1882. Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, 92/2. *Vandyke couching, a Raised Couching formed with lines of whipcord laid on the linen foundation in the shape of vandykes [etc.].
1825. Macaulay, Ess., Milton, ¶ 62. His [i.e., Charles I.] *Vandyke dress, his handsome face, and his peaked beard.
1757. Mrs. Delany, Life & Corr. (1861), III. 467. Madam Godineau, in a round card cap of black lace … and a *vandyke handkerchief of the same.
1882. Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, 195/1. *Vandyke stitch, a raised Couching.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res., I. v. *Vandyke tippets, ruffs, fardingales, are brought vividly before us.
1882. Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, 499/1. *Vandyke tracery … is worked much in the same way as Cross Tracery, and forms a zig-zag device on the open parts of leaves and other spaces.
1829. Glover’s Hist. Derby, I. 242. In 1766 … Crane manufactured a rich brocade for waistcoats,… and about two years afterwards he attempted *van-dyke-work, by appending a warp-machine to a plain stocking frame.
b. (See quot.)
1889. Maiden, Useful Pl. W. Ind., 99. Panicum flavidum,… ‘Vandyke Grass’ (of Bailey).
