Fiona Keil, on 10.05.

2023 for ARTS-A0630

Women & Power Journal

Week 2

For the second weeks journal entry I decided to pick a medium form a different perspective. It is
one of many double-page spread from Christoph Weiditz’s ‘Trachtenbuch’ (created between 1530 to
1540 at the Spanish court) in which he documented the traditional clothing styles of various
peoples and classes he observed or was described. This medium was chosen because the image are
private drawings of the artist and were not intended to be used for propaganda or to influence
anyone, which hopefully means they are more accurate to live as they need not make any efforts to
beautify/ alter the impression of the subjects according to instructions.

The notations can be translated from old German as (own translation to English so might not be
absolutely accurate):

“This is the margravine of Zenette (Doña Menzia Cenete), the wife of of Earl Heinrich of
Nassau. In this manner they go in the kingdom Toledo. So she watches her master as he
sails over the sea to Genua in an empirical manner.”

I chose this specific double-page because the artist most likely witnessed the proceedings
personally while at court. The description suggests that both images are the ssame woman & dress
from different angles, so they will be covered together.
 Fiona Keil, on 10.05.2023 for ARTS-A0630

The image & text are very clear about the depicted noble woman’s expected position at the court of
Toledo/ Nessau. The margravine is there as an accessory to her husband’s departure and not for her
own interests. She is posed and dressed very femininely, gazing longingly after the ship her
husband is sailing away with while cradling her lower stomach. She also waves goodbye with a fan,
enhancing her femininity which might or might not have been an intentional choice by her/ the
person who dressed her or just a side effect of a lengthy trip to the harbor in the Spanish summer.
She seems passive and pleased with her position, smiling beatifically.

This was drawn earlier than what we covered in class last time, but the colorful arrangement of blue
& red with plentiful embroidery seems similar to the spanish style we were introduced to.
Considering that she is at the harbor it makes sense for her dress to be more practical so even if she
usually wears more traditionally spanish wide dresses, which is unlikely due to being lesser nobility,
it is not shown in the picture. On the other hand there seem to be slits in her puffy sleeves as well as
full covering off her neck, which might be a reflection of her German husband’s influence on her
dress. Her waist is cnched tightly emphasizing her bosom, again enhancing her feminine shape. Her
shoes are pointy and elevated and can be seen clearly under her dress, even if it trails a bit anyways,
another sign of utility wear as it makes walking easier. They seem to be chopines, a type of shoe
used to elevate the wearer above the street to prevent contact between expensive garments and
street filth.

The whole book is an intriguing footprint of the time through the eyes of a single artist with no
other purpose than to document. I do not agree with the message that woman should submissively
wish their dear husbands goodbye without something better to do, but it is probably a more honest
depiction of lesser noble woman’s role than any commissioned portraiture so I believe it is a
valuable primary source.

Picture and original transcription taken from:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Trachtenbuch_des_Christoph_Weiditz