Kilt Length - Above Knee or Mid-Knee?

[OC Richard]

In the 18th Century, the length and placement of the gap, well it varied......

You will note, if you look at a large number of 18th century images, that there is a marked difference between actual portraits painted from life by respected artists, and fanciful and/or comical illustrations such as the one you posted. The latter often show the kilt absurdly short.

Here is a lovely portrait painted from life by perhaps the most well-known portraitist of his time, John Singleton Copley, of the same period as the comical engraving above.



BYW this is the signed and dated original hanging at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The one at the National Museums Scotland is an inferior unsigned undated copy.