DOI Heft:
Nr. 106 (December, 1905)
DOI Artikel:Levetus, A. S.: Ancient bedsteads and cradles
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26961#0177
Ancient Bedsteads and Cradies
sleeper, and at the same
time scared away appari-
tions and other unwelcome
visitors. But before the
Gothic era box-like bed-
steads were in vogue.
These were furnished with
a kind of lattice-work
through which the occupant
could observe what was
going on around him, or
by drawing the curtains he
could cut himself off from
observation. The doll’s
bedstead reproduced on
page 134 is of this kind.
In the sixteenth and seven-
teenth centuries the bed-
stead occupied a recess
in the room, which was quite shut oft
by curtains and formed a room within
the room.
From the Gothic bedsteads here
reproduced it may be seen how exqui-
site the workmanship was in the times
before hangings came into fashion,
when more attention was paid to rich-
ness of the textile adornments of the
bed. Count Hans Wilczek, the elder,
has several such at his castle of Kreu-
zenstein, near Vienna. One of them, a
side view of which is illustrated on the
next page and the head on page 136,
is an early and beautiful example of
the “sky” bedstead. The foot has
three pointed arched openings, above
which is a richly carved panel, the
centre having a painted medallion,
and below the openings are also three
richly carved panels. The head of the
bedstead has three fenetrages with
open fretwork: above is a kind of
cornice, likewise divided into three
parts. The sides and posts are deli-
cately and richly carved, the ground-
work being first coloured, as was the
fashion of that day. These bedsteads
are real works of art, and must have
been formed by master minds and
master hands. The altar tapestry re-
produced on page 132 gives us a
good idea of the appointments of a
bed in early times before the age
133
CHILD’S COT I5TH CENTURY
(In the Gewerbe-Museum, Reichenberg)
sleeper, and at the same
time scared away appari-
tions and other unwelcome
visitors. But before the
Gothic era box-like bed-
steads were in vogue.
These were furnished with
a kind of lattice-work
through which the occupant
could observe what was
going on around him, or
by drawing the curtains he
could cut himself off from
observation. The doll’s
bedstead reproduced on
page 134 is of this kind.
In the sixteenth and seven-
teenth centuries the bed-
stead occupied a recess
in the room, which was quite shut oft
by curtains and formed a room within
the room.
From the Gothic bedsteads here
reproduced it may be seen how exqui-
site the workmanship was in the times
before hangings came into fashion,
when more attention was paid to rich-
ness of the textile adornments of the
bed. Count Hans Wilczek, the elder,
has several such at his castle of Kreu-
zenstein, near Vienna. One of them, a
side view of which is illustrated on the
next page and the head on page 136,
is an early and beautiful example of
the “sky” bedstead. The foot has
three pointed arched openings, above
which is a richly carved panel, the
centre having a painted medallion,
and below the openings are also three
richly carved panels. The head of the
bedstead has three fenetrages with
open fretwork: above is a kind of
cornice, likewise divided into three
parts. The sides and posts are deli-
cately and richly carved, the ground-
work being first coloured, as was the
fashion of that day. These bedsteads
are real works of art, and must have
been formed by master minds and
master hands. The altar tapestry re-
produced on page 132 gives us a
good idea of the appointments of a
bed in early times before the age
133
CHILD’S COT I5TH CENTURY
(In the Gewerbe-Museum, Reichenberg)