Colors the Peasantry wore in the Middle Ages and Renaissance Part One

So, I ran across a post on the superiority of chemical dyes over natural dyes that stated the lower classes didn't even have access to colors before chemical dyes.  ......  The individual honestly believes that everyone who wasn't rich or upper middle class only wore white, brown, and black before the 19th C.   Now, I put that up in the "we didn't have color before the 1930s.  Haven't you seen the old films?!?" category.  I just found it rather strange that anyone would actually believe that old joke.

To help put an end to the idea that peasant=boring, drab colors, I figured I'd put a new compilation together regarding colors in the middle ages and Renaissance.  Here's the first post to the series I did last time on fabric types and colors available in the middle ages and Renaissance.  In that, I went over what was available to show that, for the SCA, there really isn't such a thing as "that color didn't exist yet!!!!".   If you can document it, you can wear it.  I documented everything from hot pink to lime green and eye blinding yellow.

The difference this time around is that I'll explore a specific class in the medieval society to see what they were wearing.   Yes, the poor wouldn't have been wearing the expensive dyes but they weren't wearing monochrome either.  I'm looking at paintings, written evidence, and archeology to show what colors were possible. 

Paintings

Now, I know a few people will say "paintings?! But those were highly stylized and meant to be pretty for the people viewing them, not true representations of life!"  However, I call bupkis on that idea.  First, there are just too many different illuminations and paintings that show colorful garments for the beggars and peasants that it just doesn't hold water. Second, as I will show with the archaeological and written evidence, the poor were wearing colorful garments.

St Stephen Distributing Alms by Fra Angelico, 1440's

Above is a popular motif in the middle ages and Renaissance - a saint distributing alms.  Any time a saint's life is shown, this is likely to show up at some point.  There are manuscripts, paintings, and drawings showing various saints handing out alms.  Since the alms are always being handed out to the poorest of the poor, it gives us a chance to look at their clothing. 

In the background, we can see the donor who commissioned the painting in a lovely green, with his hands in prayer.  However, in front of him are some examples of the poor in the mid 15th century.  The lady is wearing a peachy pink dress with a light blue scarf around her waist and arm.  The child in front of her is wearing a dusty mauve tunic.  Behind the lady is a poor man wearing a nice blue shade.   They may not be the brightest colors but they aren't monochrome either.

Saint Lawrence giving alms, Fra Angelico, 1450s

Just a few years later, the same artist depicted a different saint, Saint Lawrence, giving alms.   Here, one of the beggars wears a rather rich red. The little girl with the little boy to the right of the saint is wearing an old green dress.  The baby in his/her mother's arms on the left is also wearing green.  Although there are beggars wearing gray, black, and brown, there are also blues, greens, and reds.  Check out the guy wearing blue on the right's burgundy hosen.  Again, it might not be the best of colors but they aren't colorless either.

"Catherine of Cleves Distributing Alms" by the Master of Catherine of Cleves, circa 1440

Although the two paintings by Fra Angelico might have been considered a bit low key on the color, this one is anything but!  This illumination shows a lady wearing a worn green cloak, a rather nice rose pink hood, and a mauve dress.  The man begging besides her has on a very bright blue doublet and an orange boot.  In front of him is a guy with an older styled, patched up doublet in a light green with rose pink collar and cuffs.  These are nice, BRIGHT colors but given the holes and patches, they are all clearly beggars.

Saint Lucy giving Alms circa 1435

The gentleman at the front of the beggars may be wearing gray but check out the lady behind him!  She is wearing a rather nice wine purple with her black veil.  And the gentleman next to her?  A good orange outfit with a green cap.   Even the beggar wearing gray as blue hosen on.  These aren't boring colors.  They are very much dyed garments.

The Alms of St. Anthony', oil on wood painting by Lorenzo Lotto, 1542. Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Venice

This one is pretty much 100 years later than the others but, again, we see green on the bottom left and yellow, orange, and red.  Although there are some blacks and browns, the over all colors are pretty much like what, really, you'd see today on the street.  It's a good mixture. 

Now, the giving of alms isn't the only time we see the poor depicted in medieval and Renaissance artwork.  Another common theme is one of my favorites for other reasons: shepherds.  Anyone who knows me, knows about my love for Shepherd's huts.  Shepherds were not rich by any means; they were the working poor.  Often, they are shown in rags; but, mostly, they are shown in common, peasantry outfits.

Adoration of the Shepherds, 1450-1475, Belgium

I love these guys. Mister mis-matched hosen and his ruined hemmed shirt.  Look at what the shepherds are wearing.  Yeah, the one guy on the right is wearing gray...but with lots of red.  Mister mis-matched hosen has yellow, red, and blue.  He's wearing primary colors!  The lady in the back who has her shepherds purse with her is wearing a lovely shade of red as well.  Theses are not boring colors at all!

Heures à l'usage de Rome Bellemare, Noël (14..-1546). Enlumineur

In this, yes, the guy in the back is wearing boring brown and gray but the lady sheering the sheep certainly isn't.  She's wearing a lovely deep red and a blue overdress. 

Livre d'heures du Maître du Bréviaire de Jean sans Peur (Paris ou Bourgogne, vers 1413-1419

Again, some brown but lots of blues and reds.  This is pretty common through everything I've found - lots of blue and lots of red.  Other colors are less frequent.  There is a good reason for this and I'll show later in the writings and archeology of the period. 

MS M.1004, fol. 044v ca. 1420-1425

There is no question these guys are poor.  Look at the tatters the shepherd's clothing is in.  However, they have fabulous colors!  Pink, blue, yellow, and an orangy red as well as brown.  Another example of not boring colors. 

MS M.0179, fol. 076r ca 1480-1500

Tell me that isn't lavender purple the lady is wearing.  Again, blues, reds, and now lavender purple.  The shepherds are pretty colorful.

MS H.5, fol. 059v ca 1500

I had to include these guys too because more lavender purple but also that fabulous "dear me!" orange on the guy to the left. 

Despite the amount of evidence here that poor did not mean boring colors in the least bit, I know there will still be people who will claim "but these are paintings!  They are meant to be pretty!  It's not what was really worn!"   So, in the next post, I'll show some of the written evidence and the archaeological evidence of the poor wearing colorful garments in the middle ages and renaissance. 

 

Städel Museum in Frankfurt Germany part three

This is a super picture heavy post but, hopefully, it will be helpful! Please, if you use any of the images, make sure to credit me and feel free to link back to the blog as well.

Northern Netherlands Master, Triptych of the Crucifixion with Saints and Donors, 1530s

This is the full painting

Here, you can see several donors and a couple of kids.  

Center left is Mother Mary with possibly James and Mary Magdalen.  I'm not sure who is supposed to be at the foot of the cross; perhaps Martha or Saint Helena?

This guy.  I love this guy.  Anyone that can wear Mickey Mouse ears to Calvary has my vote.  (Yeah, I know, not really Mickey Mouse ears but...it still looks ridiculous) 

This is the right wing of the Triptych.  Another three donors, possibly the Mom and two daughters?

Lucas Cranach's Crucifixion from between 1508-1510.

The full painting

Mary Magdalen is wearing a green velvet with gold dress at the foot of the cross.  Mother Mary and the other women are behind her.  Green has long had a reputation of being associated with ladies of the evening so it makes sense that Mary Magdalen would be shown wearing that color.

Close up of Mary Magdalen.

Albrecht Dürer's Job on the Dungheap painted in 1505

I love this because of the lady's dress.  She has a clearly red front piece with a very, very pink gown.  

Close up of her bodice and sleeve.  Also, notice it's not super stiff - she probably has on a bra of some sort with just the chemise, stomacher/front piece/whatever you want to call it, and the gown.  She also has a sheer partlet/scarf around her shoulders.

Hans Holbein's Sunday view of the Frankfurt Altarpiece from 1501.

The piece was huge.  This is the overall look.

I focused on getting close-ups of the bottom piece.  It starts with Palm Sunday and then the Cleansing of the Temple.

In this one, the Cleansing of the Temple is on the left with the Last Supper on the right.

This is just a slightly better picture of the Last Supper.

Jesus washing the feet of his disciples with part of the Agony in the Garden.

A much better look at the Agony in the Garden.  I love all these because of the richness of the colors.  Yes, there are a lot of blues but also a lot of greens and reds/pinks.  They did have colors!

This is a close up from the lower right panel of the altarpiece.  It shows the three women carrying jars to anoint and clean the body of Christ on Easter Sunday.  I am in love with the white dress.  It's hard to see here, but in person, you can see the pins holding the dress front closed.  The lady in the red veil has on a nice darker green dress that just would not come out in the photos.

This guy is from the far left panel of the altarpiece and I love his teal, lemon yellow, and pink scarf outfit.  I can easily see a guy today wearing a shirt with the same print as his tunic and a pair of blue jeans.  

Conrad Faber von Creuznach's Double portrait of Justinian von Holzhausen and his wife Anna from 1536.

Showing the painting overall.

Close up of her green dress with black velvet trim, lined in red silk.

Close up of the mirror reflection showing the back of her hat.

Close up of her hat and chemise.

Mathis Gothart Nithart's painting of Saint Lawrence and Saint Cyriacus from 1509/1510.

Saint Lawrence who is the guy, during his martydom, quipped "Flip me over, I'm done on this side" while being grilled - literally. 

Saint Cyriacus was a Roman era martyr who is credited with exorcising demons.

Close up of the woman in the painting

Close up of her dress.  You can clearly see the dog-legged closure for the gown. 

The Stalburg portraits from 1504

Both full length portraits!   These are so incredibly rare - particularly of someone that isn't royalty.  

Close up of the woman's bodice and closure of her dress.

Close up of her hat

Better close up of the dress.  It's clearly out of watered silk (moire) in person with velvet trim and a fur lining.

The opening of the dress goes all the way to the floor which is pretty rare

The hem of her gown

Han Holbein's Portrait of Simon George of Cornwall from the late 1530s.

The full painting.

Close up of that lovely gold and blackwork

Lucas Cranach's Altarpiece of Holy Kinship from 1509

This was on the backside of the altarpiece and would have been seen when the altarpiece was shut.

The full altarpiece

I love the little boy's gown in the green and pink!

The gentleman is wearing a wide sleeved coat, lined in a very bright pink, with green hosen.  The lady has on a red gown that's hard to make out but she does have an early French styled hood on.

The guy has on a pink, yellow, and blue outfit with red hosen.  The lady has a gold gown lined in pink silk.

Pfullendorf altarpiece from between 1497-1503

Here is the full altarpiece showing the Annunciation, Mary visiting Elizabeth, the Nativity, and the death of the Virgin.

The Annunciation

Mary, in blue, visiting Elizabeth, in purply plum and red.

Close up of Elizabeth's sleeves

The nativity

Death of the Virgin

The crucifixion from 1500 (sorry for the blurry photo!).  This is actually a very famous triptych that I know circles around the SCA like wildfire.

The left panel.  There is so much wonderfulness in this.

Starting with the lady on the bottom left:  the green cloak, the blue kirtle with short sleeves and the wide red sleeves under.  The white veil wrapped around her head.  It's all awesome.  

Veronica wearing the wrap hat (this is seen in several other paintings of the time to the point I made a page about it YEARS ago.  I think I last updated the link about 10 years ago?  Anyway, this is shown in the link as well with the dates being about 10 to 20 years earlier than what the museum now says.   

This is from the right half of the left panel.  I actually like the pleated white dress with the red sleeves.  

This dress is very famous in the SCA garbing circles.  The red kirtle is open in the front and shows that the lady is wearing something black underneath.  The black, however, only extends to the waistline.  It's now thought this is just an underbodice/bra.  Also, the green sleeve is pinned to the short red sleeve.

Mary and probably one of the other Mary's or Martha.

This is from the center, I think.  I wanted to get some good photos of the guys' clothing as well.  

Center showing a wide variety of colors.

Center and I'm a sucker from stripes.  Showing peasants wearing rags, as with the guy in blue, was common.  It's rare to see patches although they do appear once in a while.

That turban though....

This is from the right panel.  Guys on horses looking like "Oh, isn't that interesting?" ....

Lucas Van Valckenborch's View of Antwerp with the Schelde Frozen Over from 1593.

The full painting.

I had to get a close up of the lady in yellow who fell down.  Notice her red muff to the side and people rushing to help her.

Good old fire to roast things on.  Hot Chocolate was still an upper class drink at this point (it did exist!) so maybe chestnuts?

Gotta bring more wood for the fire.  Here, you can see the lady with the firewood on her head's jacket and red wool (?) petticoat.  There is also a black line at the hem.   The more upper class couple have long cloaks on and hats.

I want this sleigh.  That is all.

Lucas Van Valchkenborch's Winter Landscape with Snowfall near Antwerp from 1575.

The full painting.

Patches!  The kid almost out of view has blue patches on his/her cloak.  Also, s/he appears to have a knit cap.  

Just warming up near the fire.  Not a bad idea.  

Pink pants with a red doublet.  

The family appears to be middle class or upper middle class.  One of the things I always forget to do to my own garb and something I've rarely seen are those black bars at the bottom of the skirt.  They appear to be common in period for those with any sort of money.

Hockey game because...necessary.

I'm not even sure what is going on but it does look fun.

Pieter Aertsen's Market Scene with Christ and the Adulteress from 1559.

I LOVE the market scene paintings.  I really adore this one because the common folk are upclose and you can see the details of the clothing.

Straw hat, yellow underdress, blue overdress, pink apron and sleeves, partlet, and you can see how the dress is laced easily.   

The girl in the background has her hair sewn up with ribbon, a black partlet and apron, and a red dress.

Olive green sleeves that are pinned on.

I love this old woman.  Ankles are totally period.  And see the wooden clogs the guy is wearing!  They both look quite relaxed.

Her outfit is almost camouflaged for her stall.  

The adultress is wearing an upper class style gown.  The lighting made it hard to get a good photo.

Close up of the pinned on sleeve and the waistline of the lady in the center front.

The fuzzy pink hat.  I know there are tons of guys in the SCA that would love to make this.  I really want this to be a thing now. 

Mount Calvary painted between 1435-1445.

This is of the full painting.  Notice the amount of colors!  Greens!  Blues!  Pinks!  Reds!  Oranges!  Yellows!  Heck, the guy directly behind the Cross is wearing purple with a green hat!

But it's this guy in front of the cross that made me smile.  Unfortunately, there are still some in the garbing world who are under the belief that back lacing wasn't a thing until the mid 16th C.  See the guy in yellow?  Yeah, his armor is backlaced.  It's probably allegorical but the concept of backlacing existed at least in the early 15th C.  

Mother Mary, James, Mary (or Martha), and Veronica.

Close up of the right side of the painting.

And that's it!   My album of all the photos I took in Germany is through the link.  Again, if you'd like to use any of the images, please either link or document to this page.   I hope these help!