Jumping Into Pictures Past Times Elizabeth Chadwick

Writing virtually the medieval period, I am e'er fascinated past times the illustrations in addition to depictions. I thoroughly savor studying them to glean the little details of daily life.  To me, it's a fleck similar the master copy Mary Poppins celluloid where Mary in addition to the children jump into ane of Bert's chalk pictures in addition to operate in addition to accept an gamble farther into the painting demo where at that spot are stories inside stories in addition to all fashion of colourful details to please the eye.

Jumping Into Pictures Past Times Elizabeth Chadwick

If reading sources begins to tire me in addition to I tin experience my concentration slipping, thus a browse through sundry manuscript illustrations is oft only the ticket.  Some powerfulness telephone telephone it procrastination, but I prefer to reckon it every bit a inquiry enhancer. I am eternally grateful to alive inward the digital historic catamenia when thus many institutions are making their collections available online.  I accept operate the fortunate recipient of a broad Blue Planet of stuff that I could never accept imagined existence available at the showtime of my writing career.

For my side past times side project, I am moving upward to the thirteenth century from the 12th in addition to I accept been jumping into a vibrant Blue Planet of discovery.

Purse attached to the braies.  Life of St Edward. Trinity College, Cambridge. Mid 12thc

I also collect pictures of hats, thus the chap inward the background is of involvement too! 

Trinity College, Cambridge, has a trove of medieval manuscripts online, including ane known every bit the Romance of Alexander.  Written inward Old French inward circa 1250,  maybe at St Albans, it includes 152 illustrations of Medieval courtly life.  I was fascinated to come across this ane of a bishop disrobing.  He is wearing liberate medieval 'underpants' mostly known every bit braies.  They would accept been made from linen.  It is thus interesting to come across that they are rolled over at the overstep in addition to a belt threaded through to concur them up.  Not exclusively that, but his handbag is firmly attached to his underwear at the sides.  Medieval vesture inward the 1250's did non accept pockets in addition to to larn at the purse, the gown had to endure lifted, every bit displayed on this 13th century Life of St. Edmund.  The side past times side development was to accept slits inward the side of the gown inward lodge to achieve the pocket, in addition to eventually pockets themselves start to endure attached to the outer have on rather than underclothing, but post service Medieval inward context.

Note the cord threaded through the braies in addition to the handbag attached to it.  Romance of

Alexander.  Mid 12thc  

The pocket scene is ane small-scale example. I trawl illustrations in addition to collect all fashion of themes in addition to subjects - underwear existence ane of them.  The higher upward braies accept entered that especial collection board.  I accept around other that studies cloaks in addition to cloak fastenings in addition to inward which it has operate obvious that no medieval adult woman ever pins her cloak high on the shoulder.  It's a masculine thing. Bandar Ceme I accept collections of bedding in addition to pillows (watch out for those laced pillow cases in addition to also for check-patterns).

Once you lot larn your optic inward on

chequered pillow cases, they

are all over the place!  

 I collect depictions of dogs in addition to horses, cups in addition to tabular array cloths, flooring coverings, beds, hats, belts, hose, shoes, cooking pots, you lot cite it. I pluck the images from the illustrations, I report their facets, in addition to role them both to farther my noesis in addition to to receive a Blue Planet inside my ain chalk picture.