Mary Tudor grew up in France, a long-time ally of Scotland, where she was portrayed many times by Clouet, this time wearing a dress with a crescent neckline and an escoffion headdress. Photo credit René-Gabriel Ojéda.
Herbert Norris mentioned two drawings of Mary "at the age of sixteen" from the waist up by Clouet that he used to assemble a whole-body view of her gown on page 437 of Tudor Costume and Fashion (1997 Dover re-issue). On the next page he had this description: "The costume was of white satin, the bodice and skirt decorated with wide bands of gold embroidery... The bodice, rounded at the neck opening, was worn over a partlet of embroidered gauze with an upstanding collar finished in gofferings. The fifteen-inch waste was molded by a steel corset. The skirt was of moderate proportions... The sleeves, with puff 'à la bollonoise' at the shoulders, were ornamented with lines of gold cordcaught together with pearlsor small gold or jeweled buttons. Her earrings, necklaces, girdle, and pomander were of pearls set with gold. The coif set far back on the head was of gold embroidery, pearls, and jewels. This may have been the Queen's wedding gown, for it is recorded that when henry II led his future daughter-in-law to the altar she was wearing white satin, with a mantle of blue velvet embroidered with lilies in silver..."
I found one of the drawings Norris mentioned in the Reunuion des Musés Nationaux site, this one at Musée Condé in Chantilly, but could not find the other one at the Bibliothèque Nationale.
Keywords: 1558, Clouet - Francois, Mary Queen of Scots, Stuart family, Scottish, Queen, straight coiffure, crescent neckline, escoffion, jeweled headdress, necklace, draped necklace, earrings, French sleeves
Nov 12, 2009, 1:52 PM
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