Gentles of the Lists, in particular those of you in the SCA whose personas play in W. Europe around AD1490, in researching garb from the late 15th century, - I have discovered an excellent photo image 1,075 × 500 pixels, @100% - of a full-sized waxwork Tableau representing an instant at the Chateau of Langeais, during the marriage of King Charles VIII of France, and the Ruling Duchess Anne De Bretagne, on 6th December, 1491. The replica garb is splendid beyond any words of mine to describe - you just have to see it to appreciate it's magnificence. What makes the Tableau even more striking is that the effigies all have the recorded features of their historical personas, either copied from their portraits closest in date to Dec, 1491, or re-created through "facial reconstructions" by Official Forensic Artists who normally assist the French Police to identify skeletalised remains. The pin-sharp image is the work of a photographer who is identified only as Tango7174 - and deserves thanks from us all for making it freely available under the GNU Free Documentation License,.
The marriage was reported in great detail by contemporary chroniclers, and clothing details were doubly-recorded, - by also being entered in the now-archived Wardrobe Accounts of the Duchy of Brittany, and those of the Court of France. I am given to understand that the Tableau is the result of an in-depth research and reproductionproject by the French equivalent of "English Heritage", - and unconstrained by cost-constraints. {Government Departments can always spend more on things like this than private individuals. The replica clothing shown is as accurate as might be expected from any National Heritage Organisation supported from Government funds. I was recommended to visit the Chateau de Langeais to see their exhibition and this Tableau, by the staff at the nearby Chateau de Susciniou, during my recent visit there. For your interest I am attaching the picture as a jpeg file. If any of your lists do not allow attachments, but you still want a copy of the excellent photo, send me your e-mail addresses offlist, and I'll send you individual copies. In Service to the Medieval Dream Matthewe Baker, Hospitaller for West Dragonshire, Drachenwald.
_______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume