Words for Clothing in the Principal Indo-European Languages (JSTOR, ugh)
But I did find a decent hose site on constructing period hosen. I think I can use this for what I'm intending to do for K.C.'s landsknecht. Medieval Underwear III: Chosen Hosen
Here's a site where they say they have patterns for just about everything Alter Years. I'm considering ordering the catalog just to see what's available. The catalog is cheap.
So far, I'm liking this site Seamlyne: Costume Designer's Reference. When I have more time I want to go through it more thoroughly.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Shoe Picture Display
All of these have been cropped from various woodcuts and drawings by period artists. I've only included the shoes and the pertinent information about the drawing.
1.) This first is Drei Landsknechte by Daniel Hopfer (1470-1536)
2.) Landsknecht with his Wife by Daniel Hopfer (1470-1536) [wife on the right]
3.) Standard bearer fighting against five landsknechts by Daniel Hopfer (1470-1536)
4.) ein zartliches Paar by Daniel Hopfer 1520
5.) Officer Accompanied by Four Soldiers by Daniel Hopfer (1470-1536)
By this point, you're likely thinking what I did... Wait, these are all by Hopfer. What if he simply didn't like to draw shoes? Then I found...
6.) Three soldiers by Albrecht Altdorfer (1480-1538)
They appear to me like a series of slippers, tho they were likely made of leather, considering they were soldiers. They have what many have termed "duck's bill" toes, which, from what I gather, was the style after the hugely long pointed toed slipper. The duck's bills were rumored to have grown as wide as 12 inches. Hmm SCUBA gear? :D
1.) This first is Drei Landsknechte by Daniel Hopfer (1470-1536)
2.) Landsknecht with his Wife by Daniel Hopfer (1470-1536) [wife on the right]
3.) Standard bearer fighting against five landsknechts by Daniel Hopfer (1470-1536)
4.) ein zartliches Paar by Daniel Hopfer 1520
5.) Officer Accompanied by Four Soldiers by Daniel Hopfer (1470-1536)
By this point, you're likely thinking what I did... Wait, these are all by Hopfer. What if he simply didn't like to draw shoes? Then I found...
6.) Three soldiers by Albrecht Altdorfer (1480-1538)
They appear to me like a series of slippers, tho they were likely made of leather, considering they were soldiers. They have what many have termed "duck's bill" toes, which, from what I gather, was the style after the hugely long pointed toed slipper. The duck's bills were rumored to have grown as wide as 12 inches. Hmm SCUBA gear? :D
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Turnshoes
According to History of Shoes, by 1480 the first shoes made right-side out on a last (a mold) were developed in Germany and spread throughout Europe, or in other words, a turn shoe. From what I gather, most sources say that turn shoes didn't start until this time frame, so it makes me wonder about the shoe construction before 1480. This next link on Birka Traders makes me wonder at their construction of a shoe from an earlier period. Though this shoe isn't from the German Renaissance time frame, I figured since I was working on shoes at this time anyway, I'd include it in case I need an earlier time frame pattern later. This next site (Reproducting a Late 14th Century Shoe using Patterns Taken from Extant Examples[1]) is interesting, but the information seems to conflict with other information I've acquired so far. How old is the turn shoe method really? Here is another site on A Burgundian Court Shoe from the early 15th century that also claims the use of a last and turning the shoe inside out. I don't suppose it's overly important for German Renaissance reconstruction when the turn shoe started, considering they were available from everything I've seen so far to the German Renaissance individual, but this aspect bugs me when people can't agree on when a technique actually started.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Clothing and Links
While doing research for footwear, I stumbled on these...
Web Gallery of Art is great! For a preliminary search, I did an advanced search for German 1501-1550 and it came up with 1006 matches. I've found quite a few things that I will post here at a later date and time, but for now, I'm glad I found this site. I found K.C.'s floppy hat too...
Footwear
I decided to work from the bottom up for now. We'll see where this direction takes me.
First stop, the footwear that would have been worn during the early 1500s...
According to Footwearhistory.com the shoes of the High Renaissance were characterised by being more sedate and shaped like a slipper. This is due to the fact that in the 1400s, the poulaine was popular. It was a shoe with a highly exaggerated pointed toe as shown in this example. Rumor has it that some died due to the fact that they could not outrun their assassins with their shoes so long. Regardless, this was apparently what was worn before the period we're trying to recreate, tho I haven't been able to determine if it was worn before the German period specifically.
According to the above quoted site on female footwear though, it's difficult to determine what the female shoe resembled from paintings, it is still fairly reasonable to assume their shoes were more like ballet slippers and that they wore pattens. This site describes the various names pattens would have also gone by during the medieval period. Clog, Clogge, Galache, Galoch, Galosh, Golosh, Galoche, Galegge, Galliochios, Galloche, Gaulish Shoes, Paten, Patyn, Trippe Latin: Calopodla,Calopedes, Callopedium, Crepitum, Crepita Which of these is German? Not quite sure, but I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually. Needless to say, they were commonly used and should likely be utilized in authentic garb reconstruction. Regardless, to continue, these are all names for a variety of overshoes, made with wood, leather, or cork platform soles, sometimes with bits of metal on the bottoms, intended to protect the shoes from wet, cold, mud and pavement. They remained in use in one form or another until the American Colonial period. Some items seen currently thought of as Pattens may in fact be sandals. More info that also included this picture of pattens.
According to <http://www.nativearth.net/periodpage.html> the following is a representation of a landsknecht shoe...
This may or may not be the case, but I have seen references to squared toes in shoes around this period. The slashed shoes appeared to have been popular whereever puff and slash was worn.
First stop, the footwear that would have been worn during the early 1500s...
According to Footwearhistory.com the shoes of the High Renaissance were characterised by being more sedate and shaped like a slipper. This is due to the fact that in the 1400s, the poulaine was popular. It was a shoe with a highly exaggerated pointed toe as shown in this example. Rumor has it that some died due to the fact that they could not outrun their assassins with their shoes so long. Regardless, this was apparently what was worn before the period we're trying to recreate, tho I haven't been able to determine if it was worn before the German period specifically.
According to the above quoted site on female footwear though, it's difficult to determine what the female shoe resembled from paintings, it is still fairly reasonable to assume their shoes were more like ballet slippers and that they wore pattens. This site describes the various names pattens would have also gone by during the medieval period. Clog, Clogge, Galache, Galoch, Galosh, Golosh, Galoche, Galegge, Galliochios, Galloche, Gaulish Shoes, Paten, Patyn, Trippe Latin: Calopodla,Calopedes, Callopedium, Crepitum, Crepita Which of these is German? Not quite sure, but I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually. Needless to say, they were commonly used and should likely be utilized in authentic garb reconstruction. Regardless, to continue, these are all names for a variety of overshoes, made with wood, leather, or cork platform soles, sometimes with bits of metal on the bottoms, intended to protect the shoes from wet, cold, mud and pavement. They remained in use in one form or another until the American Colonial period. Some items seen currently thought of as Pattens may in fact be sandals. More info that also included this picture of pattens.
This may or may not be the case, but I have seen references to squared toes in shoes around this period. The slashed shoes appeared to have been popular whereever puff and slash was worn.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Pistol Fascination
With the last post, I put a picture up of a double-barrelled wheellock pistol and realized it was a very interesting piece, so I wanted to find more. Thus far I found a listing for a Breech-loading wheellock gun, German, 1570-80 <http://www.royalarmouries.org/extsite/view.jsp?sectionId=1915>. In the following picture there are three pieces, the rifle, which is 17th century and out of our period, a wheel lock pistol, ca 1580 and a priming flask, ca 1600.
I think they all look really interesting and it would be a shame to ignore them, simply because people don't feel they are "period" for our play, when obviously they are.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Art Deviation
I stumbled upon a Kidipede (or an encyclopedia for kids) that had an entry for Medieval German Art. According to this piece, early medival German art was generally called Ottonian (ie Otto Emperors), roughly 900s. Then came the Romanesque period from about 1000-1200, followed by the Gothic period.
Continuing in this vein I found this sculpture on the Metropolitan Museum's Timeline of Art History page. This is called Seated Bishop, ca 1495, Tilman Riemenschneider (German, 1460-1531, active in Wurzburg, 1483-ca 1525) Lindenwood, black stain; 35 1/2 x 14 x 5 7/8 in (90.2 x 35.6 x 14.9 cm) The Cloisters Collection, 1970 (1970.137.1) (Figured I might as well put all the info here for later reference.
I thought this last piece (before I get ready for work) was really neat. Labeled as Double-barreled wheellock pistol of Emperor Charles V, ca 1540-45. Made by Peter Peck (1500/10 - 1596) German (Munich) Steel, etched and gilded; wood, inlaid with engraved staghorn; L 19 3/8 in (49.2 cm) Gift of William H Riggs, 1913 (14.25.1425) <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/08/euwc/ho_14.25.1425.htm>
There is more listed on the Holy Roman Empire page of the Met's website, but I don't have time right now to explore it properly.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The Holy Roman Empire
This site seems to be rather informative concerning the Holy Roman Empire, which regulated the German period and place of study. <http://www.heraldica.org/topics/national/hre.htm>
Period German Writings
Unfortunately, I do not speak German, but perhaps over time I'll learn some of it to better effect my husband's choice of garb. That being said, this first link is to a site that contains period texts (in German) from roughly the 9th - 14th centuries. <http://www.erlangerhistorikerseite.de/quellen/quellen.html> The site itself is called Quellen zur mittelalterlichen Reichsgeschichte, which translates very roughly as Research on Medieval History. Sections including Frühes Mittelalter (Early Middle Ages, roughly 800-1000), Hochmittelalter (High Middle Ages, roughly 1000-1300), Spätmittelalter (Late Middle Ages, roughly 1300-1350), Quellen zur Geschichte der Hanse und Preußens (Research on the story of Hanse and Preuben?). The online dictionary I used to find these translations is at <http://wolfram.schneider.org/dict/>.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Coronation Clothing - 12th-13th century
First things first, I found a general site on sumptuary which I've already posted to my Ireland Research...
[http://scaireland.blogspot.com/2007/02/sumptuary-beginning.html]
Next, while searching for Irish Sumptuary, I found the following link to the Insignia of the Holy Roman Empire that I thought was really cool.
From what I've determined, the above pic is
supposed to have been the sleeve cuff of Roger II's coronation dalmatic, which was one of the 12th century rulers. The pic to the right is the coronation mantle Roger II supposedly wore. The detail alone is simply amazing and from what I've gathered, this heavy red color is the "royal purple" of this age. The site has a lot more detail than I'm going to put here, but suffice to say this pieces is red silk with gold couching.
[http://scaireland.blogspot.com/2007/02/sumptuary-beginning.html]
Next, while searching for Irish Sumptuary, I found the following link to the Insignia of the Holy Roman Empire that I thought was really cool.
From what I've determined, the above pic is
supposed to have been the sleeve cuff of Roger II's coronation dalmatic, which was one of the 12th century rulers. The pic to the right is the coronation mantle Roger II supposedly wore. The detail alone is simply amazing and from what I've gathered, this heavy red color is the "royal purple" of this age. The site has a lot more detail than I'm going to put here, but suffice to say this pieces is red silk with gold couching. 
This last picture is a close-up detail of the mantle. It makes you wonder how many people were working on this pieces and how long it took them to produce it considering the gold couching covered vitually the entire piece and it was simply used for his coronation. Could you see going to that much work for something that was only to be worn once? Or am I simply assuming that because it was for his coronation, he never wore it again. Might be an interesting avenue of research.
At this site there are more pictures of the various aspects to his coronation clothing right down to his shoes and gloves. [http://rubens.anu.edu.au/raider4/austria/vienna/museums/schatzkammer/palermo_robes_12thc/]
Part of the first site shows various stitches which were used and their definitions (or why they were used) [http://medieval.webcon.net.au/technique_stitches.html]
This next picture is of Frederick II's coronation gloves from 1220. What I find most interesting about these is that the pearls used weren't all perfect. They were mishapen and unusual and imperfect. It's more the fact that they were pearls, not that they had the perfect round shape that we seem to crave today.
Friday, February 2, 2007
Sumptuary Revisited, Sorta
I decided to take a step back and go at this part of the project from another direction [James and the Giant Peach comes to mind...].
Dictionary.com has this to say about 'sumptuary'...
sump·tu·ary
–adjective
1. pertaining to, dealing with, or regulating expense or expenditure.
2. intended to regulate personal habits on moral or religious grounds.
[Origin: 1590–1600; <>
[Unfortunately there was a whole section of writing here, but I'm too tired to remember what it all was, but it was concerning Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor who organized the Landsknechts and my thought process which got me to the pictures below.]
This is a picture of the Holy Roman Empire circa 1630. I didn't realize the HRE encompassed so much space at that time.
Doing a little more searching, I found a picture of the Imperial Circle Estates that the Holy Roman Empire was segregated into with the Reichsreform in 1495. Pretty spiffy if you ask me, but not *quite* on point.
Though these searches produced interesting information, I'm still no closer to what the original intent of this post was.
Just as I'm getting ready to give up, I find an English translation of The Golden Bull of the Emperor Charles IV 1356AD, [http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/medieval/golden.htm] which I will need to read and study in more detail later, but it's at least a translation of laws from that time.
One last link in case the computer crashes in the middle of the night... [http://www.florilegium.org/files/CLOTHING/smptuary-laws-lnks.html]
(It always figures, when I get tired and it's time to go to bed, THAT's when I find the information that I'm wanting) More links
[http://www.tyler-adam.com/139.html] Miscellaneous tidbits, but it led to the next link.
[http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/lutheranism/87577/1] An article concerning the Augsburg Confession @ the Diet of Augsburg [http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/lutheranism/86696]
[http://users.frii.com/gosplow/augsburg.html] The Augsburg Confession (completely, I hope) and this next is touted as the Unaltered Augsburg Confession [http://www.lmsusa.org/augsburg.htm]
Dictionary.com has this to say about 'sumptuary'...
sump·tu·ary
–adjective
1. pertaining to, dealing with, or regulating expense or expenditure.
2. intended to regulate personal habits on moral or religious grounds.
[Origin: 1590–1600; <>
[Unfortunately there was a whole section of writing here, but I'm too tired to remember what it all was, but it was concerning Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor who organized the Landsknechts and my thought process which got me to the pictures below.]
This is a picture of the Holy Roman Empire circa 1630. I didn't realize the HRE encompassed so much space at that time.
Doing a little more searching, I found a picture of the Imperial Circle Estates that the Holy Roman Empire was segregated into with the Reichsreform in 1495. Pretty spiffy if you ask me, but not *quite* on point.
Though these searches produced interesting information, I'm still no closer to what the original intent of this post was.
Just as I'm getting ready to give up, I find an English translation of The Golden Bull of the Emperor Charles IV 1356AD, [http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/medieval/golden.htm] which I will need to read and study in more detail later, but it's at least a translation of laws from that time.
One last link in case the computer crashes in the middle of the night... [http://www.florilegium.org/files/CLOTHING/smptuary-laws-lnks.html]
(It always figures, when I get tired and it's time to go to bed, THAT's when I find the information that I'm wanting) More links
[http://www.tyler-adam.com/139.html] Miscellaneous tidbits, but it led to the next link.
[http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/lutheranism/87577/1] An article concerning the Augsburg Confession @ the Diet of Augsburg [http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/lutheranism/86696]
[http://users.frii.com/gosplow/augsburg.html] The Augsburg Confession (completely, I hope) and this next is touted as the Unaltered Augsburg Confession [http://www.lmsusa.org/augsburg.htm]
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Sumptuary
In an effort to search for the sumptuary laws governing the Germanic aspects of Medieval Europe, I have run across another "institution only" website containing journals that would hopefully have information I could utilize. Project Muse appears to be accessible through the University of Kansas and the piece which I'm attempting to read is Jaritz, Gerhard "Ira Dei, Material Culture, and Behavior in the Late Middle Ages: Evidence from German-speaking Europe" Essays in Medieval Studies - Volume 18, 2001, pp. 53-66 West Virginia University Press. Maybe I can find someone there that can acquire this information for me. This is a little frustrating tho.
Fashion, Sumptuary Laws, and Business, Herman Freudenberger, The Business History Review, Vol. 37, No. 1/2, Special Illustrated Fashion Issue (Spring - Summer, 1963), pp. 37-48doi:10.2307/3112091 [JSTOR]
I'll do more research on sumptuary laws later, but I wanted to get this down before I lost track of it. All these "journals" online at expensive prices are a pain in the neck.
Fashion, Sumptuary Laws, and Business, Herman Freudenberger, The Business History Review, Vol. 37, No. 1/2, Special Illustrated Fashion Issue (Spring - Summer, 1963), pp. 37-48doi:10.2307/3112091 [JSTOR]
I'll do more research on sumptuary laws later, but I wanted to get this down before I lost track of it. All these "journals" online at expensive prices are a pain in the neck.
Daniel Hopfer
Whereas my previous post containing information on Albrecht Dürer was full of the general citizen of both Italian and German descent, Daniel Hopfer drew many sketches and etchings containing Landsknecht as well as the common man.
Daniel Hopfer (circa 1470, Kaufbeuren - 1536, Augsburg) was a German artist who is widely believed to have been the first to use etching in printmaking (end of the fifteenth century). He also worked in woodcut and armor. His etchings in armor are likely the main reason why he drew so many Landsknecht from this period.
I have found an article in The Metropolitan Museum of Art held on the JSTOR website. Unfortunately, it's only accessible through colleges, so I'll have to figure out how to accomplish acquiring the entire piece later, but here's the title and pertinent info for later...
Armor with Etching Attributed to Daniel Hopfer - Stephen V. Grancsay The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, Vol. 34, No. 8 (Aug., 1939), pp. 189-192doi:10.2307/3256640
[Personal note: I have found myself gainsayed by JSTOR in the past on other things and it's a bit frustrating, but I'll find a way around it and move forward.]
The floppy hat that the landscknecht is wearing in this etching is the one my husband appreciates for the garb he is wanting made. Should be interesting!
Daniel Hopfer (circa 1470, Kaufbeuren - 1536, Augsburg) was a German artist who is widely believed to have been the first to use etching in printmaking (end of the fifteenth century). He also worked in woodcut and armor. His etchings in armor are likely the main reason why he drew so many Landsknecht from this period.
I have found an article in The Metropolitan Museum of Art held on the JSTOR website. Unfortunately, it's only accessible through colleges, so I'll have to figure out how to accomplish acquiring the entire piece later, but here's the title and pertinent info for later...
Armor with Etching Attributed to Daniel Hopfer - Stephen V. Grancsay The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, Vol. 34, No. 8 (Aug., 1939), pp. 189-192doi:10.2307/3256640
[Personal note: I have found myself gainsayed by JSTOR in the past on other things and it's a bit frustrating, but I'll find a way around it and move forward.]
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| Voluptas (1500s) |
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| Kunz von der Rosen (c1500s) |
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| Death and the Devil Surprising Two Women (c1500-10) |
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| Portrait of Emperor Maximilian I (c1505) |
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| The Crucifixion (c1500-36) |
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| Title Page by Hopfer from print shop of Johann Miller (1512) |
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| St George on Horseback Slaying the Dragon (1520) |
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| The Festival (Kulturbilder) (1520) |
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| Three Landsknecht (c1526-36) |
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| Drei Landsknecht (c1526-36) |
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| Unknown Title (Uncertain Date) |
The floppy hat that the landscknecht is wearing in this etching is the one my husband appreciates for the garb he is wanting made. Should be interesting!
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| Landsknecht and Wife (c1525-30) |
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| Landsknecht and Wife (c1525-30) |
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| Officer Accompanied by Four Soldiers (c1530) |
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| Illustration to Proverbs X 4-7 (1534) |
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| The Lovers (Uncertain Date) |
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