Medieval and Renaissance Fashion: 90 Full-Color Plates

by Raphael Jacquemin

Knights clad in chain mail populate these pages, alongside crowned heads in royal regalia and common folk in their finest apparel. Scrupulously authentic in every detail, these images offer colorful portraits that span centuries of fashion, from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance.
Raphaël Jacquemin was preeminent among the fashion illustrators and historians of nineteenth-century Europe's golden age of fashion design publications. His 1869 Iconographie Générale et Méthodique du Costume du IV au XIX Siècle drew upon manuscripts, reliefs, and effigies from the Louvre, university libraries, and other archives for the most striking and accurate fashion statements from the fourth through seventeenth centuries. This collection features ninety of Jacquemin's magnificent hand-colored engravings, a gallery of iconic portraits that have served as museum exhibits in their own right. Fashion designers, artists, costumers, and others seeking authenticity of period detail—as well as inspiration for contemporary styles—will find this book a splendid resource.

Genres: History, Fashion, Fashion History

96 pages, Paperback

First published June 26, 2007

Reviews

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what it says on the tin - a book of 90 full color plates of people representing fashion from the 4th century to the 17th century in Europe. Each illustration is labeled with the name or type of person, if person unknown, and when and where the illustration is from.

The book starts at the 4th century, with Roman Empire fashions still dominating across Europe, even as the empire falls, and then we see centuries of heavy cloaks and long, shapeless tunics. As far as we see here, fashion doesn't get interesting until the 12th century, as Eleanor of Aquitaine brings some style to Europe.

Over the next few centuries, clothes become more fitted and detailed, patterns replacing solids, and then the Renaissance brings the addition of accessories to fashion, as hats, belts, collars and needless fru-frus are suddenly all over the page.

As we go from the 15th to 17 century clothes get heaver, fuller, and more be-ribboned and feathered, although the book ends before we get to the truly outrageous pre-French Revolution styles, followed by the much more relaxed Regency styles.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though very slender, this is an excellent quick reference guide for medieval and renaissance fashion. When I'm looking to get just a feel for a particular era or place, I can quickly flip through this book and find it. Then, armed with that information, I can delve into more complete works.

[Teddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative, but the illustrations were awful.