The plague doctor, with his iconic beaked mask, is one of the most recognizable medieval figures, deeply ingrained in our imagination and folklore due to his distinctive attire and the aura of mystery and fear he evoked. But how did his profession and attire originate?  

In the 17th century, Europe was once again ravaged by a deadly outbreak of the Black Death (or bubonic plague), nearly three centuries after the great epidemic of 1346–1353. This new wave posed a severe threat to the citizens of the major European kingdoms. Alessandro Manzoni would later set his novel The Betrothed during the plague of 1647 in Italy. Faced with this renewed yet familiar menace, there was an urgent need for protective measures that would allow doctors to treat the infected while minimizing their own risk of contagion.  

In 1619, the idea for such protection came from Charles de Lorme, the physician of King Louis XIII of France. Building upon the rudimentary plague masks used in the 14th century, he designed a full protective outfit. This ensemble included a long black robe reaching down to the ankles, a wide-brimmed hat typical of the era, sturdy shoes, a cane to maintain a safe distance from patients and examine them without direct contact, and a beaked mask that covered the entire face, similar to modern gas masks. De Lorme later improved the design, making the robe water-resistant. The mask, already in use in Italy, was enhanced by adding aromatic mixtures and a cloth soaked in vinegar, intended to ward off both foul odors and potentially contaminated air.  

The ominous appearance of these doctors, clad in their black garments and eerie masks, soon became a symbol of fear and death in the collective imagination. A 17th-century poet described them as follows:  

"Their hats and cloaks, of novel design, are made of black waxed cloth.  
Their masks have glass lenses, their beaks stuffed with antidotes.  
The foul air can do them no harm, nor cause them any alarm.  
The staff in their hand serves to display the nobility of their trade, wherever they go."