Illumanu

This tumblr aspires to become a helpful resource for history (and mainly fashion history) research and focuses primarily on illuminations from medieval and renaissance manuscripts.

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!

Posts tagged "bed"

15th century (ca.1410) France (Paris)

Genève, Bibliothèque de Genève

Ms. fr. 190/1: Des cas des nobles hommes et femmes by Giovanni Boccaccio

fol. 74v - wife of Candaules; being watched by her husband and Gyges

http://www.e-codices.unifr.ch/en/list/one/bge/fr0190-1

15th century (1450-1480) Flemish

Bibliothèque de Genève

Ms. fr. 64: La fleur des histoires by Jean Mansel

fol. 61r
http://www.e-codices.unifr.ch/en/list/one/bge/fr0064

15th century, illuminated by Flemish masters

Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal

Ms-5070 réserve: Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio (French translation by Laurent de Premierfait)

fol. 116r

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b7100018t.r=.langEN

Seeing the humongous black hat of the gentleman in blue gown, I instantly thought of Mr Arnolfini. Also, the pattens here are of the same design as in the Eyck double portrait. The women wear houppelandes with overturned collars and horned headdresses, supported by padded rolls. The gentleman accompanying the blue lady also wears a padded headdress, and a red scalloped tabards over, presumably, short gown with bag sleeves.

Two interesting points here: Firstly, note the looseness of the blue sleeves of the pink lady’s underdress, and the size of her houppelande’s sleeves (the dress looks almost a cloak, really). Secondly, the houppelandes have a gold line under the overturned collars, reminiscent of the fur edging of the Margherita’s version of the houppelande (which lacks the collar). I think these are some kind of either necklaces or - what I find more likely - applied embellishments.

14th century (1353) France - Paris

Bibliothèque de Genève

Français 178: Le Roman de la Rose by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun

fol. 118v

http://www.e-codices.unifr.ch/en/list/one/bge/fr0178

15th century, illuminated by Flemish masters

Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal

Ms-5070 réserve: Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio (French translation by Laurent de Premierfait)

fol. 23r

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b7100018t.r=.langEN

A young monk lapses into seducing a young woman and is secretly observed by an elder abbot. However, he knows that he has been seen and so leaves, on pretense of finishing a task, and gives the key to his room to the abbot, who then goes to see the girl for himself. On seeing the girl, the abbot then is seduced. The monk, who hid watching all of this, uses it to balk prosecution. The monk and the abbot quickly rush the woman out of the monastery and often bring her back in.

- from wikipedia