12th Century Manuscripts, Statues, and Other Artwork

The Garb Page
This page is focused on evidence of the bliaut and similar garments in primary source (original) artwork throught 12th Century Europe.

The main charactaristics of the bliaut are the draping sleeves, the tight waist, and the fine pleats of wrinkles. Not all cultures adopted all three facets of the gown. Many images exist of people in the 12th Century who do not wear a bliaut so although this garment appeared for a brief time in the 12th Century, it was not the only style worn.

England

  1. The Bayeux Tapestry
  2. 10th and 11th Century Clothing in England: A Portfolio of Images
  3. The Saint Albans Psalter, 1150.
  4. Terence's Comedies, 12th C
    "Terence's Comedies, in Latin, with Romanesque drawings comprising the latest version of the Late Antique cycle of scene-illustrations, St. Albans Abbey, mid 12th century. The first of the four artists (fols. 2v-17v) is identifiable as 'The Master of the Apocrypha Drawings' in the Winchester Bible. The illustrations for Andria V.1-2 at fol. 28r-v are missing in the Carolingian witnesses." - Bodleian Library description of Terence's Comedies

France

  1. Photos of Gothic architecture, sculpture, paintings and murals from all over France. (In French)
  2. Fecamp Psalter, Normandy 1180 Later given to the Dutch - site may be gone
  3. Maciejowski Bible . Created in Paris, it travelled to Italy and then to Poland.
  4. Part 1, Plato, Timaeus
    "Part 1, Plato, Timaeus, in the Latin translation of Calcidius, with diagrams and glosses, French, 1st half of the 12th century. Part 1 bequeathed, perhaps already bound with Part 2, to Osney Abbey near Oxford by Master Henry of Langley, d. 1263(?)." - Bodleian Library description
    Contains no people
  5. Part 2, La Chanson de Roland
    "Part 2, La Chanson de Roland, in Anglo-Norman, 12th century, ? 2nd quarter. Part 1 bequeathed, perhaps already bound with Part 2, to Osney Abbey near Oxford by Master Henry of Langley, d. 1263(?)." - Bodleian Library description
    Contains no people

Italy

  1. Women. A frecso dipicting the story of "the foolish virgins" from Castel d'Appiano in Trentino Alto Adige, Italy
  2. Man. Where is this from?
  3. THE TWELFTH CENTURY ART IN ITALY

Germany

The German bliaut shows a loose flowing gown that will be familiar to those who know the German "MuMu" (a sleeveless loose flowing gown from slightly after the bliaut). The Germans do not appear to have adopted the tight lacing (or any lacing at all) or the pleats or wrinkles of the French bliauts. The sleeves appear to come in bell sized swoops and floor brushing dips reminiscent of the later period tippet. The floor length dips appear only on the women.

Several of these manuscript pages came from Vorgotische Miniaturen die Ersten Jahrhunderte Deutscher Malerei 2nd edition by: Hanns Swarzenski, published by Karl Robert Langewische, Verlag in 1931 (via the 12thcenturygarb yahoo group).

Other pages came from the Stammheim Missal, 1170s. A scanned copy can be seen at The Getty Museum website (along with scans of many other manuscripts).

  1. Psalter of Landgraf Hermann von Thuering 1217 "Paradise: Lazarus in Abrahams lap distributes the fruits of the eternal life." page 77 Vorgotische. Note the long sleeves but loose belted gowns with high round necklines.
  2. Early 13th C. Lamenting mothers of Bethlehem - presumably in the aftermath of the massacre of the Innocents. page 69 Vorgotische. Note again, long sleeves, loose belted gowns, round necklines, possibly front laced or nursing gowns.
  3. Working clothes in harvest scenes, German end of the 12th century, page 67 Vorgotische. Note the long sleeves tied around the neck of the top left woman. This gown is also loose and belted.
  4. German 1179, "Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well", page 66 Vorgotische. Note the long sleeves tied around the neck of the woman.
  5. Prufening Miscelany Munich 1158-65 Note the ladies all have round necklines and bell sleeves.
  6. The Stammheim Missal fol. 7v: Germanicus Caesar
  7. The Stammheim Missal fol. 11: Wisdom
  8. The Stammheim Missal fol. 11v: The Annunciation
  9. The Stammheim Missal fol. 84v: Decorated Incipit Page with a VD Monogram . Note that all three ladies on the left side have bell sleeves and loose gowns with v-necklines.
  10. The Stammheim Missal fol. 11v: The Annunciation.
  11. The Stammheim Missal fol. 86: The Crucifixion
  12. Codex Lat. 2599 (in German)

Poland

  1. A Tympanium from Breslau, ca. 1200 Note the long sleeves.
  2. The Adoration of the Lamb, Cammin, 1201/1300 Note the tiny bell sleeves.

Where are these from?

  1. Swiss and Swiss St. Martin Church in Zillis Switzerland
  2. Nordic? Where is this from?
  3. Nordic? Where is this from?

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