Burgundian
Women’s
Costume
Styles for north‐
western Europe in the middle of the fifteenth century
The Era - politics
• North‐western Europe e.g. England, France, Burgundian duchy (Eastern France & Low Countries).
• England: Wars of the Roses – cataclysmic end 1485 with Henry Tudor
• France: Hundred Years War & post occupation
• Burgundy: growing economic & political power –
cataclysmic end 1477 – death of Charles, 1482 death of Mary
Art & culture
• Rise of the Northern renaissance, realistic portraiture developed. New art, new music, new literature, new ideas.
• Economic boom in relatively stable low countries (modern Belgium, Netherlands).
• Last flourishing of chivalric ideals of the past.
• Men’s styles less different from preceding era than women’s.
Basic elements of style
• Earlier style emphasised breadth; flowing robes, huge houppelande sleeves, wide bourrelet hats.
• Mid‐century emphasis goes on length/height – long gowns, long shoes, tall hats.
• Then back to width – almost off the shoulder styles.
• High belted emphasising the ‘pregnant’
posture. Belts an important feature –
increasing in width.
Style Overview
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3.
1432, van Eyck, Ghent Altarpiece donatrix
1455, Rogier van der Weyden, Isabella of Portugal (Duchess of Burgundy)
1470, Rogier van der Weyden, Maria Portinari
Materials of style
• Finest, most expensive cloth for outer layers:
– cloth of gold
– brocaded silks & velvets – from Italy and its eastern trading partners
– wool – grown in England, woven in Flanders
– Velvet (silk), again mostly from the east
• Colours: black, browns, reds, gold, dark indigo blue, greens, tawney, murrey
• Patterns: large foliate patterns
Images
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1434, Jan van Eyck, Arnolfini portrait
1449, Petrus Christus, Legend of St Eloy
1464, Rogier van der Weyden, A Lady
Underclothes
• Women’s underwear did not really change from the previous period and consisted of
1. Chemise / smock of white linen
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Very simple cut, raglan sleeves, gores, fine pleating at centre front and back.
No cuffs, yoke or collar.
Body loose but not baggy, mid‐calf length.
Sleeves wrist‐length also loose but not baggy.
2. Hose – linen and/or woollen cloth (not knitted) cut on bias. Secured above calf with garters.
Images
1.
2.
3.
1445, Rogier van der Weyden, Bladelin Triptych
1445, Rogier van der Weyden, Albeg Triptych
1470, Hans Memling, Birth of Christ
Middle Layer
• Kirtle – the kirtle developed from the earlier cote
• Structural layer providing support. Working‐in layer.
• Short / cap sleeves to fit under tighter sleeves of over‐dress.
• Pin‐on over‐sleeves for wearing ‘out’.
• Laces up front through sewn on rings.
• Natural waist‐line
• Skirt gored and pleated at back. Horizontal tuck for long‐wear? For added stiffness?
Kirtle Images
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3.
Jan van Eyck, Nativity of St John
?
1457 ‐, Rene of Anjou’s Le Livre du cœur d'amour épris
Magdalenes of Rogier van der Weyden
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3.
Seven Sacraments Altarpiece
Deposition Altarpiece
Mary Magdalene
The Gown
• The outer‐layer of the wealthy and aristocracy was the gown.
• Direct descendant of the houppelande.
– First the neckline is opened flat and turns into a collar, sleeves no longer hanging but still wide or ‘bag‐pipe’
– Next collar opens wider into a V – sleeves continue to tighten
– Variety of collar shapes from wide V to curved, wide flat collar, narrow flat collar, to almost straight across and off the shoulder.
Early versions
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2.
3.
1430, anon, Isabella of Portugal (Duchess of Burgundy)
1439, Jan van Eyck, Margrethe van Eyck
1449, Petus Christus, Legend of Saint Eloy
Images
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2.
3.
1446, Rogier van der Weyden, Portrait of a Girl
1450, Rogier van der Weyden, Portrait of a Lady
145? , Petrus Christus, Donor
Images
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2.
3.
1464, Rogier van der Weyden, Portrait of a Woman
1470, Hans Memling, Maria Portinari
1472 ‐, Hans Memling, Portrait of an Old Woman
French variations
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3.
1457‐, Rene of Anjou’s Le Livre du cœur d'amour épris
C1460, Bonne d’Abbeville
1470s?, Rene of Anjou’s Book of the Tournament
Later styles
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1475‐, Mary of Burgundy
1477, Hans Memling, Maria Portinari
1480, Margaret of York
Artists
Dirk Bouts (Dieric)
Petrus Christus
Jan van Eyck, Hubert van Eyck
Jean Fouquet
Hugo ven der Goes, (c. 1440‐1482)
Roger van der Weyden (Rogier)
Hans Memling (Memlinc), (ca. 1433 ‐ 11 August 1494, Bruges).
• Rene Duke of Anjou
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Books
• Joan Evans, Dress in Medieval France. 1952 Clarendon Press, Oxford.
• Jean Hunnisett, Period Costume for Stage & Screen – 1500, 1996, Player’s Press, Studio city, C.A.
• Walter Prevenier and Wim Blockmans, The Burgundian Netherlands, Cambridge University Press, 1986.
• Margaret Scott, A Visual History of Costume: The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries. 1986, Batsford, London.
• Sarah Thursfield, The medieval Tailor’s Assistant, 2001, Costume & Fashion Press, Hollywood, CA.
Online
• My notes are at http://www.heorot.co.nz/Hall/Wardrobe/15C
Burgundian/
• Lady Lyonnete Vibert (Marie Vibert) http://cleftlands.cwru.edu/Burg/index.html, http://cleftlands.cwru.edu/BurgundianCostu
me.pdf
• Fitting the Gothic Dress FAQ, Robin Netherton: http://www.netherton.net/robin/FittedDressF
AQ.pdf
Patterns
• These are rough cutting guides for a single style. You will need to adapt them for the specific styles that you are trying to reproduce.
• If you don’t already have a fitted bodice pattern made to fit YOU then you will need a friend to help with fitting the kirtle bodice. I recommend instructions given by Robin Netherton for fitting the Gothic Dress and/or The Medieval Tailor’s Assistant book.
Chemise / Shift / Smock
This takes about 4 m linen cloth folded in half.
Kirtle
This pattern is approximate only. –
you will need to fit carefully.
Laid out for 1150mm wide cloth, 4m long folded in half.
Gown
This gown is based on the Memling portrait of Maria Portinari of 1470. It has a fitted bodice and curved rather than deep V neckline. This pattern allows for a small train.