As I am sewing away on Lewis’s shirt, I am learning so much about 18th century shirts! I am posting some more photos for you to see some of the gems I found in my research.
From the National Gallery of Scotland and the Met Museum of Art. Lots of lovely collar, cuff, and button details.
John Locke, 1697 
detail from George Lambert, early 1700s 
detail of Joseph Christophe de Verdun, early 1700s 
detail of Jean Etienne Liotard, 1733
Notice the large center front opening with no closures.
And my favorite- this great image from the Royal Academy of Art. You can see the shoulder strap here and good view of the neckline.
You can see these images and more on my 18th Century Shirts page on Pinterest!
