Illumanu
Note: I am not a professional fashion historian. If you spot any inconsistency or outright fallacy somewhere in the picture descriptions please feel free (or even better, obliged) to let me know!
1508 portrait of a woman by Girolamo di Benvenuto
Washington D.C., National Gallery of Artsource
15th century France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
Français 12559: Le Chevalier errant, by Tommaso III di Saluzzo
fol. 185(r)
source (gallica)
early 15th century (1400-1410), French - Paris
Bibliothèque nationale de France
Français 425
fol. 1r
source (gallica)
second quarter of the 14th century Germany - Uppher Rhineland
details of tempera paintings on oaken coffret (Minnekästchen)
source (Met)
ca. 1300, France - Paris?
Montpellier, Bibliothèque Inter-Universitaire, Section Médecine
H196: Montpellier Codex
fol. 193v, 194v; 194r, 195r - motet Domino/Je languis/Pucelete
You can listen to it here.
source (Bibliothèque Interuniversitaire Médecine de Montpellier)
Lyrics in captions as transcribed here.
FULL LYRICS:
1.
Domino
2.
Je languis des maus d´amours.
Mieuz aim assez qu´il m´ocie
Que nul autre maus.
Trop est jolie la mort.
Alegiés moi, douce amie
Ceste maladie
Qu´amours ne m´ocie.
(I languish from unrequited love; better I love — I would rather die from it not being returned. Too great is the joy of death; swear to me, sweet friend, that this sickness of love will not kill me.)
3.
Pucelete bele et avenant
Joliete, polie et pleisant,
La sadete que je desir tant
Mi fait liés, jolis, envoisiés et amant.
Nést en mai einsi gai roussignolet chanttant
S´amerai de cuer entierement
M´amiete la brunete jolietement.
Beele amie qui ma vie en vo baillie aves tenue tant,
Je vos cri merci en soupirant.
(Beautiful and comely maiden, lovely, courteous and pleasing, the thing I desire so much makes me friendly, happy, companionable, and loving. It’s not just in May that the nightingale singing so gaily would make me love you with my whole heart. Beauteous friend, to whom I deliver my life so willingly; I cry unto you for mercy with my sighs)
12th century (before 1141) Germany
Virgo, from Brauweilen Abbey Church Zodiac
Rheinisches Landesmuseum, Bonn (loaned from Museum Schnütgen, Cologne)
source (sacred-destinations.com)
second half of the 15th century portrait of a young woman, attributed to Hans Memling
…sold for 482,500 USD (358,200 Euro).
source (Sotheby’s Auctions)
1475, Flanders - Ghent
Bodleian Library
MS. Douce 365: Moral and religious treatises,
fol. 115r - Margaret of York at prayer
source (LUNA)
Margaret and the other lady closer to her wear later 15th century variants of the fitted gown, derived from the houppelande, and a black hood or frontlet with steeple hennin. The fitted silhouette of the gown is accentuated by the wide belt, worn so tight around the waist it almost seems to merge with the dress.
(For an even later example of the houppelande’s evolution, although English, see this beautiful funerary brass. The only conspicuous vestigial part of the dress that is referencing its predecessor (the houppelande) is the overturned collar/lapels.The belt is narrow and worn low, reduced to a decorative function - the dress is presumably fastened with hidden lacing in the front. Technically, the gown has become an overkirtle.)
The third kneeling lady wears an overkirtle with wide opening in the front, held together with horizontal lacing. Underneath a kirtle would be worn and also maybe an embellished stomacher (also known as a placket). The bust seems flattened and the torso straight - the inclination towards this kind of silhouette foreshadows the imminent advent of the corset.
(Several similar examples (all by Memling): 1470s detail of kneeling daughter of a donor from Donni triptych, 1480 detail of Mary Magdalene from Adriaan Reins triptych, 1485-90 lady with a pink)
beginning of the 15th century (1403), French - Paris
Bibliothèque nationale de France
Français 598: De mulieribus claris by Giovanni Boccaccio
fol. 151r - Pope Joan
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84521932/f1.planchecontact.r=francais+598.langEN
15th century, French
BNF
Français 239: Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio
fol. 140r
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8458435h/f1.planchecontact.r=Francais+239.langEN
Oh noes, his chaperon fell down!
