DOI Artikel:
Kazubowska, Joanna: Dwaj książęta i moda: studium wartości poznawczej strojów i tkanin w malarstwie na przykładzie portretów autorstwa Bartłomieja Strobla (1591-ok. 1647)
Zitierlink:https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/modus2020/0093
It is worth paying attention to the fabric from which the fashionable garment
was sewn. It already attracted the interest of Elena Kamieniecka, who described
it as follows: “silk fabric interwoven with silver thread with a geometrie pattern,
probably of Italian origin, was fashionable not only in France, but also found in
the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The herringbone pattern, reminiscent
of Italian fabrics with the motif of rhombuses, triangles, and trapeziums [...],
can be dated to the first half of the seventeenth century.”108 The pattern on
the fabric has so far been referred to in the literaturę as embroidery (see: Fig. 13).
Jacek Żukowski and Anna Sieradzka identified it as such. According to Lisa
Monnas, however, the silver ornament could have been madę with a silver rib-
bon applique. This was a very expensive decorative procedurę.109 It may also
be surmised that the fabric was embellished with galloon (often mistaken for
ribbons) in the form of a plain or patterned woven trimming madę partially
or entirely of metallic, metallized, silk, or cotton threads.110 Gallons were often
used to decorate garments and to hem liturgical vestments: chasubles, dalma-
tics, and capes.
In order to be able to properly understand the work of Strobel, it is worth
taking a closer look at the prince portrayed therein, who belonged to the strict
political elite of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Janusz xi Radziwiłł,
Vilnius Voivode and Grand Hetman of Lithuania, born on 2 December 1612,
was the son of Krzysztof Radziwiłł and Anna Kiszczanka.111 As his biographer
Edward Kołtubaj wrote, “He was famous for his handsomeness, beauty, and at-
tachment to the court of Władysław iv. During his stay abroad, at the courts
of various princes, he adopted foreign customs and at first wore the foreign garb
that the king himself was seen to use; later, however, he returned to his native
dress.”112 Most probably from his youth, he had been madę aware of the important
role of costume as a testimony of social status, and therefore the prince attached
great importance to these matters. During the three years that he spent study-
ing in the Jesuit gymnasium in Słuck, where he was sent in 1625 (despite being
a CaMnist), he exchanged letters with his father, asking him to send cloth for
the outer garment, and silk fabric for the lining, and complaining that he lacked
the appropriate clothing and his dignity had suffered as a result.113
Like most young magnates, Janusz Radziwiłł was sent by his father to study
abroad, where he set out in 1628 under the care of Aleksander Przywkowski and
Olbracht Dębowski. During the grand tour, he visited the Netherlands, England,
and France, performing the honourable function of a diplomat representing
King Władysław IV.114 It is worthwhile to bring up an extremely interesting
source, written by Krzysztof Radziwiłł, namely: Informacyja, według której syn
108 E. Kamieniecka, Nieznany portret, pp. 364-365.
109 Comments madę during e-mail correspondence.
110 M. Michałowska, Leksykon włókiennictwa, p. 99.
111 T. Wasilewski, Radziwiłł Janusz, in: Połski Słownik Biograficzny, vol. 30, Wrocław-Warszawa-
-Kraków-Gdańsk-Łódź 1987, p. 208.
112 E. Kołtubaj, Życie Janusza Radziwiłła, Wilno-Witebsk 1859, p. 215.
113 W. Czapliński, J. Długosz, Życie codzienne, pp. 105-109; J. Żukowski, Książę Janusz Radziwiłł:
między koronkami aferezją, <https://www.wilanow-palac.pl/ksiaze_janusz_radziwill_miedzy_
koronkami_a_ferezja.html > (accessed on 10.11.2020).
114 K. Radziwiłł, Wskazówki związane z edukacją syna Janusza w ojczyźnie i w cudzej ziemi (1622-
-1628), in: Ojcowskie synom przestrogi, pp. 175-185; T. Wasilewski, Radziwiłł Janusz, p. 208.
Two princes and the fashion...
93
was sewn. It already attracted the interest of Elena Kamieniecka, who described
it as follows: “silk fabric interwoven with silver thread with a geometrie pattern,
probably of Italian origin, was fashionable not only in France, but also found in
the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The herringbone pattern, reminiscent
of Italian fabrics with the motif of rhombuses, triangles, and trapeziums [...],
can be dated to the first half of the seventeenth century.”108 The pattern on
the fabric has so far been referred to in the literaturę as embroidery (see: Fig. 13).
Jacek Żukowski and Anna Sieradzka identified it as such. According to Lisa
Monnas, however, the silver ornament could have been madę with a silver rib-
bon applique. This was a very expensive decorative procedurę.109 It may also
be surmised that the fabric was embellished with galloon (often mistaken for
ribbons) in the form of a plain or patterned woven trimming madę partially
or entirely of metallic, metallized, silk, or cotton threads.110 Gallons were often
used to decorate garments and to hem liturgical vestments: chasubles, dalma-
tics, and capes.
In order to be able to properly understand the work of Strobel, it is worth
taking a closer look at the prince portrayed therein, who belonged to the strict
political elite of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Janusz xi Radziwiłł,
Vilnius Voivode and Grand Hetman of Lithuania, born on 2 December 1612,
was the son of Krzysztof Radziwiłł and Anna Kiszczanka.111 As his biographer
Edward Kołtubaj wrote, “He was famous for his handsomeness, beauty, and at-
tachment to the court of Władysław iv. During his stay abroad, at the courts
of various princes, he adopted foreign customs and at first wore the foreign garb
that the king himself was seen to use; later, however, he returned to his native
dress.”112 Most probably from his youth, he had been madę aware of the important
role of costume as a testimony of social status, and therefore the prince attached
great importance to these matters. During the three years that he spent study-
ing in the Jesuit gymnasium in Słuck, where he was sent in 1625 (despite being
a CaMnist), he exchanged letters with his father, asking him to send cloth for
the outer garment, and silk fabric for the lining, and complaining that he lacked
the appropriate clothing and his dignity had suffered as a result.113
Like most young magnates, Janusz Radziwiłł was sent by his father to study
abroad, where he set out in 1628 under the care of Aleksander Przywkowski and
Olbracht Dębowski. During the grand tour, he visited the Netherlands, England,
and France, performing the honourable function of a diplomat representing
King Władysław IV.114 It is worthwhile to bring up an extremely interesting
source, written by Krzysztof Radziwiłł, namely: Informacyja, według której syn
108 E. Kamieniecka, Nieznany portret, pp. 364-365.
109 Comments madę during e-mail correspondence.
110 M. Michałowska, Leksykon włókiennictwa, p. 99.
111 T. Wasilewski, Radziwiłł Janusz, in: Połski Słownik Biograficzny, vol. 30, Wrocław-Warszawa-
-Kraków-Gdańsk-Łódź 1987, p. 208.
112 E. Kołtubaj, Życie Janusza Radziwiłła, Wilno-Witebsk 1859, p. 215.
113 W. Czapliński, J. Długosz, Życie codzienne, pp. 105-109; J. Żukowski, Książę Janusz Radziwiłł:
między koronkami aferezją, <https://www.wilanow-palac.pl/ksiaze_janusz_radziwill_miedzy_
koronkami_a_ferezja.html > (accessed on 10.11.2020).
114 K. Radziwiłł, Wskazówki związane z edukacją syna Janusza w ojczyźnie i w cudzej ziemi (1622-
-1628), in: Ojcowskie synom przestrogi, pp. 175-185; T. Wasilewski, Radziwiłł Janusz, p. 208.
Two princes and the fashion...
93