What do Saint Joseph and Obelix, a medieval prostitute and a baseball referee, the Carmelites and the bathers of the Belle Époque, the jesters of the Renaissance and comic book convicts, those who sleep in pajamas and the naked ones of the French Revolution have in common? They all wear stripes, a sign of their position on the edges of social order or even outside of it.

The stripe, a hybrid structure, for a long time served in the West as a point of exclusion and transcendence. The Middle Ages considered striped fabrics as diabolical, while in modern society, they remained as a clothing characteristic of the lower classes (slaves, servants, sailors, convicts). However, these derogatory stripes, while not disappearing completely, began to recede in the face of competition from another type of stripe that bore new ideas: freedom, youth, pleasure, humor.

Today, the two value systems continue to coexist. More than ever, however, there are stripes and stripes. The banker's stripes are not the same as those of the criminal; the stripes at pedestrian crossings or prison bars are different from those found at the beach or sports stadiums.

Tracing the long history of stripes in Western culture, Michel Pastoureau explores the origin, position, and function of visual codes in a particular society. What constitutes a dishonorable mark? Why do striped surfaces stand out better than monochromatic ones? Does this hold true in all cultures? Ultimately, is the issue biological or cultural?

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]