Dress of the Court of Saxony

Dress of the Court of Saxony

Saxony, GermanyThis style of dress proliferated in the Saxony region of what would be modern day Germany. Cranach the Elder was a court painter to Frederick the Wise of Saxony. During the time of the portraits under study (1520-1540) he had settled permanently at Wittenberg.
Identifying details:
– Wide front with laces showing below a decorated placket
– Skirt pleated into the bodice
– Head dress is sometimes braids on top of the head(<10%), or a goldhaube with or without a barret. - Few portraits show slashed guarding. It's extremely rare. - 90% of the guarding is gold or black. - Sleeves can be elaborate.

Inspirational Pictures

Cranach, Lucas the Elder Judith with the Head of Holofernes c. 1530 Oil on wood, 87 x 56 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Cranach the Elder, Lucas Judith Victorious c. 1530. Oil on wood. Beech panel, 75 x 56 cm. Jagdschloss Grunewald, Berlin
Mary Magdalene (?), Lucas Cranach the elder, ca. 1525 LINK



Cranach the Elder, Lucas. The Saxon Princesses (Sibyl, Emilia and Sidonia of Saxe). c.1530. Oil on wood. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.

Detail of right-hand princess from The Saxon Princesses. Note the lacing ring showing at the top of the picture. Picture found on Flickr



Cranach the Elder, Lucas, ca 1526. PORTRAIT OF A GIRL WITH FORGET-ME-NOTS (The Princess). Tempera and oil, beech boards; 34.9 x 23.8 cm LINK


Other Resources

Cranach Digital Archive

Dress Diaries

Brown and Gold Gown made for Rolf and Aurora’s Purgatorio Step up August 2006
Arianwen’s Saxony Gown made for Arianwen to wear at October Crown 2010

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