S-28 RUFF : DECORAQTIVE COLLARS - HIGH COLLAR MAGAZINE

HISTORICAL

RUFF

DECORAQTIVE COLLARS

December – 2023 15 MINS READ

One of the things I find strange about old paintings, especially portraits, is the ‘ruffled collar.’ It is a symbol of wealth and aristocratic splendor, but like the corset, it is also a very peculiar design. Why did it become so popular? This section studies it.

古い絵画、特に肖像画について、私が奇妙だと感じることの一つは、『フリルのついた襟』です。これは富と貴族的な華麗さの象徴ですが、コルセットのように、非常に特異なデザインでもあります。なぜこれほど人気があったのでしょうか？このセクションではそれを研究します。

What is the “RUFF”

In the realm of formal attire during the mid-16th to the 17th century in Europe, there existed a distinctive fashion element known as the “ruff.” This ruff was characterized by its crimped or pleated collar or frill, which was typically wide and voluminous. Remarkably, both men and women of that era embraced this trend.

The origins of the ruff can be traced back to the early 16th century when men started exposing the top of their shirts. By cinching a drawstring tightly at the top, an initial form of the ruff began to take shape. Gradually, the ruff grew in size, evolving into a symbol of aristocratic status. Women, desiring to display their social standing and reveal their bosom, adapted the ruff into a half-circle design, open in the front and rising at the back.Initially, the ruff was worn with a supportive wire frame and later stiffened with starch, typically appearing in a pristine white hue. However,

The size of ruffs gradually increased over the course of the century. In 1565, for instance, it was said, “Ten yards is enough for the ruffs of the neck and hand” in a New Year’s gift created by her ladies for Elizabeth I of England. However, the use of starch allowed ruffs to be made wider without losing their shape. Later iterations of ruffs became separate garments that could be laundered, starched, and intricately folded into figure-of-eight patterns using heated, cone-shaped goffering irons. At their most extravagant, “cartwheel ruffs” could measure a foot or more in width, and these required a wire frame known as a supportasse or underpropper to maintain their fashionable angle. As the seventeenth century began, ruffs began to fall out of fashion in Western Europe, giving way to wing collars and falling bands. However, the trend persisted longer in the Dutch Republic, where ruffs can be observed in portraits well into the seventeenth century and in regions further to the east. Ruffs continued to be a part of the ceremonial attire worn by city councillors (Senatoren) in the cities of the Hanseatic League and by Lutheran clergy in Denmark, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland. In a symbolic effort to diminish the influence and power of the conservative Spanish elite, Philip IV of Spain issued a ban on the wearing of ruffs in 1621. Initially, the ruff was worn with a supportive wire frame and later stiffened with starch, typically appearing in a pristine white hue. However, by the late 16th century, the ruff had given way to alternative collar styles, fading from fashion. Interestingly, in the early 19th century, a modified version of the ruff experienced a resurgence in popularity as part of women’s daytime attire.

16世紀半ばから17世紀のヨーロッパで、フォーマルウェアの一部として「ラフ」として知られる特徴的なファッション要素が存在しました。このラフは、そのクリンプやプリーツのついた襟やフリルで特徴づけられ、通常は幅広でボリュームがありました。興味深いことに、このトレンドは当時の男性と女性の両方に受け入れられていました。ラフの起源は16世紀初頭に遡り、男性がシャツの上部を露出することを始めたときに始まります。上部をしっかりと引き締めることで、ラフの初期の形が形成されました。徐々に、ラフはサイズを大きくし、貴族の地位の象徴として進化しました。社会的な地位を示し、デコルテを露出したいと願う女性たちは、ラフを前面が開いて後ろに上がる半円状にアレンジしました。最初はラフは支持するワイヤーフレームと共に着用され、後には澱粉で硬められ、通常は真っ白な色合いで現れました。

この時代が進むにつれて、ラフカラーのサイズは次第に大きくなりました。例えば、1565年にエリザベス1世の女性たちが制作した新年の贈り物では、「首と手のラッフのために十ヤードは十分」と言われています。しかし、デンプンの使用により、ラフは形を崩すことなくより幅広く作られるようになりました。後のラッフは洗濯、デンプン加工ができ、加熱式の円錐形のアイロンを使用して複雑な「8の字」の模様に折りたたむことができる別の衣類となりました。最も極端な場合、「カートホイールラッフ」として知られるものは、1フィート以上の幅があることがあり、これらのカートホイールラッフには流行の角度を保つための「サポータス」または「アンダープロッパー」と呼ばれるワイヤーフレームが必要でした。17世紀が始まる頃、ラフカラーは西ヨーロッパで流行から遠ざかり、ウイングカラーやフォーリングバンズに取って代わられました。しかし、オランダ共和国ではトレンドがしばらく続き、17世紀に入ってもラフカラーが肖像画に見られ、さらに東方の地域でもその影響が残りました。ラッフカラーは、ハンザ同盟の都市の市議会議員（Senatoren）や、デンマーク、ノルウェー、フェロー諸島、アイスランド、グリーンランドのルーテル教会の聖職者の正装の一部として続けられました。保守的なスペインのエリート層の影響力と権力を減少させる象徴的な試みとして、スペインのフェリペ4世は1621年にラフカラーの着用を禁止しました。

　HOW TO MAKE THE RUFF

Henry I, Prince of Joinville, Duke of Guise, Count of Eu (31 December 1550 – 23 December 1588), sometimes called Le Balafré (‘Scarface’), was the eldest son of Francis, Duke of Guise, and Anna d’Este. His maternal grandparents were Ercole II d’Este, Duke of Ferrara, and Renée of France. Through his maternal grandfather, he was a descendant of Lucrezia Borgia and Pope Alexander VI.

Henri III (1574-1589) with the assassins of the Duke of Guise (Henry I of Lorraine, Duke of Guise called the Balafre

Sir Francis Walsingham 1589 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Portrait of a Man Anthony van Dyck Flemish ca. 1618

Portrait of a Man Anthony van Dyck Flemish ©MET
This impressive portrait, painted about 1618 when the artist was eighteen or nineteen years old, is very close in style to contemporary and slightly earlier portraits by Rubens, for whom Van Dyck was working at the time. In its insistence on volume and textures, the close attention to costume detail, and the passive pose and expression, the painting also adheres to an older Netherlandish tradition, as seen in portraits by Anthonis Mor (ca. 1516/19-ca. 1575/76).

Frans Hals, Pieter Cornelisz. van der Morsch, 1616, Carnegie Museum of Art

Portrait of a Man Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) Dutch 1632

Painted just after Rembrandt’s arrival in Amsterdam, this well-preserved portrait reveals the talent that enabled the young artist to quickly make a name for himself in the Dutch Republic’s largest and most artistically competitive city. The oval format was fashionable at the time, and the linen folds of the man’s ruff offered Rembrandt the chance to display his signature vigorous brushwork. Nothing is known about the man’s identity, and the inscription giving his age as forty is most likely by a later hand.

Example of a ruff (plooikraag), Holland. c. 1615-1635

The ruffle, originally designed for practical purposes, could be removed from a shirt and was intended to maintain cleanliness around the collar and the areas directly in contact with the skin and beard, as it could be frequently replaced. However, with the discovery of starching, it became possible to maintain the long pleated collar shape. Gradually, its size and intricacy in finishing became a subject of competition. It even reached the point where accordion-like circular discs, with a radius of several tens of centimeters, covered the neck, and some of them required a wire frame. During the starching process, they were sometimes colored in yellow, pink, or light purple. As shown in the photographs, during that era, both men and women wore pleated collars, and children also adorned them. In Western Europe, by the late 16th century, the trend shifted towards wing collars and hanging bands, leading to the decline in the use of pleated collars. However, in regions east of the Netherlands, the wearing of pleated collars continued for an extended period.

In Japan, from the Sengoku period to the early Edo period, pleated collars became highly popular among feudal lords and wealthy merchants as part of the “Nanban outfits” brought with the Nanban trade. They were sometimes paired with traditional Japanese clothing. As a result, during this period, pleated collars became significant costume accessories when depicting individuals associated with the Nanban trade or Christianity in historical dramas. They were also seen in the attire of actors, statues, illustrations, and character merchandise, among other representations.”

ラッフルは、もともと実用的な目的で設計され、シャツから取り外すことができ、襟回りや皮膚やひげと直接接触する部分の清潔を保つために意図されました。なぜなら、頻繁に取り替えることができたからです。しかし、洗濯糊の発見により、長い褶襞入りの襟の形を保つことが可能になりました。徐々に、その大きさと仕上げの複雑さが競技の対象となりました。それは、円盤のようなアコーディオンのような円形のものが、数十センチの半径を持つまでに達し、一部はワイヤーフレームを必要としました。洗濯糊の過程で、それらは黄色、ピンク、または薄紫に着色されることがありました。写真で示されているように、その当時、男女ともに褶襞入りの襟を着用し、子供たちも着用していました。西ヨーロッパでは、16世紀末までにウィングカラーや垂れ下がるバンズのトレンドが移り、褶襞入りの襟の使用が減少しました。しかし、オランダ以東の地域では、褶襞入りの襟の着用が長期間続きました。

日本では、戦国時代から江戸時代初期にかけて、褶襞入りの襟は南蛮貿易とともにもたらされた「南蛮の服装」の一部として、大名や富裕な商人の間で非常に人気があり、伝統的な和服と組み合わせることもありました。その結果、この時期には南蛮貿易やキリシタンに関連する人物を描写する際に重要な衣装アクセサリーとなり、歴史ドラマの演技者、彫像、イラスト、キャラクターマーチャンダイズなどの衣装にも見られました。

Beginning of the “RUFF”

Looking at portraits featuring the ruff collar, it can be assumed that the prototype emerged around 1540. Prior to this, collars were separate, and the decorations were relatively modest (though not entirely absent). Gradually, they began to encircle the neck, and the decorations became increasingly extravagant over time. This trend was especially notable among royalty and the aristocracy, and the way lace was incorporated into each portrait served as a symbol of the extravagance of the era. This fashion movement persisted for an extended period and spread to both the affluent and common people of Flanders. Subsequently, the influence of the Reformation and the rise of Baroque fashion led to a simplification of this style, ultimately causing it to fall out of use.

There are similarities in the decoration of ruff collars and cuffs, particularly in their emphasis on ornamentation. Some historians and fashion researchers consider the possibility that ruff collars may have been influenced by the decoration of cuffs. During the 16th century Renaissance period, the importance of decoration in fashion increased, and decorative elements were incorporated into various parts of clothing. The popularity of decorative cuffs may have had an influence on the collar’s design as well. Like cuffs, ruff collars also featured emphasized decorative elements, and their ornamentation became increasingly elaborate over time.

ラフカラーを特徴とする肖像画を見ると、その原型がおよそ1540年ごろに現れたと仮定できます。それ以前には、襟は別々で、装飾は比較的控えめでした（完全にはなかったわけではありませんが）。徐々に、それらは首を囲むようになり、装飾は時間の経過とともにますます華やかになりました。この傾向は特に王族と貴族の間で顕著であり、レースが各肖像画に取り入れられる方法は、時代の豪奢さの象徴として機能しました。このファッションの動きは長期間にわたり、フランドルの裕福な人々と一般の人々にも広がりました。その後、宗教改革の影響とバロックファッションの台頭が、このスタイルを単純化させ、最終的には使用されなくなる原因となりました。

ラフカラー（ruff collar）と襟袖（cuff）の装飾には共通点があり、特に装飾を強調する点において共通性が見られます。一部の歴史家やファッション研究者は、ラフカラーが襟袖の装飾の影響を受けて発展した可能性を考えています。 16世紀のルネサンス時代において、ファッションにおける装飾の重要性が高まり、装飾的な要素が服装の各部位に取り入れられました。襟袖の装飾が広まり、その影響が襟の部分にも及ぶ可能性があると考えられます。襟袖と同様に、ラフカラーも装飾的な要素が強調され、その装飾が豪華になっていったと考えられます。

It started with a shirt collar.

Portrait of a man holding his gloves Artists: Pieter Pourbus (by erroneous tradition) Ukjent kunstner flamsk / nederlandsk, Mester fra 1540-tallet (attributed to) Creation date:1544

Portrait of a Lady in White, c.1540

King Philip II of Spain, 1549-55 (panel)

Portrait of Philip II (1527-98) of Spain

Portrait of Charles IX (1550-74)

François Clouet Portrait of a Woman c. 1560. Oil on wood panel (later mounted to plywood)

Portrait of a Woman with a Dog ca. 1560 – 1570 Oil on canvas. 105 x 79 cm Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid

Along with Titian and Tintoretto, Paolo Caliari — known as Veronese — was one of the great names of Venetian Renaissance art. Veronese trained in his native city of Verona, from where he derived the name by which he was known. . The canvas depicts a young woman who stands out against a dark background that includes a curtain painted with bright highlights. The figure, on which the light focuses, looks fixedly to her right, richly dressed in tones of blue, white and gold. The details of the materials are painted with great care and attention, particularly the striped pattern on the dress and the combinations of different colours. Anecdotal detail is added by the presence of the lapdog, seated on a small ledge on the left. The Musée du Louvre has a drawing in which Veronese depicts a woman in the same dress and with the same position of the hands, but the head is turned at a different angle. The drawing may have provided the basis for this composition.

Portrait of a Young Woman Flemish or French Painter © The image is under the copyright of the Museum of Fine Arts Artist Flemish or French Painter ca. 1540–1560

PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG LADY (C. 1560) Sofonisba Anguissola

Sofonisba Anguissola: Self portrait (1560)

Portrait of Hercule-Francois de France Duke of Alencon, c.1560 Francois Clouet (c.1510-1572) Location: The State Hermitage Museum St. Petersburg Russia Original Size: 48 x 32 cm

‘Portrait of Elisabeth d’Autrish’, c. 1571, François Clouet, Louvre.

Robert Dudley (first Earl of Leicester)

Bartolomeo Passarotti, Man Playing a Lute, 1576. Oil on canvas, 77 x 60 cm. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Portrait of Jean-Charles de Cordes, c.1574 (Portrait of Jean-Charles de Cordes, c.1574) Peter Paul Rubens 1574

Portrait of Lady-in-Waiting to the Infanta Isabella (Porträt von Lady-in-Waiting auf die Infantin Isabella) Peter Paul Rubens 1577

Portrait of a man, bust length, in dark costume with a white ruff, c.1597-99

Portrait of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (c.1532-88), 1585

Portrait of a Man, Possibly an Architect or Geographer, 1597 (oil on copper) (Porträt eines Mannes, möglicherweise Architekt oder Geograph, 1597 (Öl auf Kupfer)) Peter Paul Rubens 1597

lute player, by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) (Lautenspieler, von Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)) Peter Paul Rubens

Portrait of Ambrose Spinola (1569-1630) Marquis of Sesto and Venafro Knight of the Golden Fleece Painting by Peter Paul (Pierre-Paul) Rubens (or Peter Paul or Petrus Paulus) (1577-1640) 17th century Prague, National Gallery – Portrait of Ambrose Spinola (1

Portrait of Philip III 1578-1621, King of Spain and Portugal, 1606

Infante Clara Eugénie (Infanta Clara Eugenia) Peter Paul Rubens 1609

FOLLOWER OF ANDRÉS LÓPEZ POLANCO (SPANISH D. 1641) PORTRAIT OF A NOBLEMAN WEARING A RUFF COLLAR, BELIEVED TO BE PHILIP III OF SPAIN

Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria (Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria) Peter Paul Rubens 1606

Portrait dune jeune femme avec un rosaire (Portrait dune young woman with a rosary) Peter Paul Rubens 1609

Philippe Rubens, 1610-11 (oil on oak panel) (Philippe Rubens, 1610-11 (Öl auf Eichenholzplatte)) Peter Paul Rubens 1610

‘Portraits of Rubens and Isabella Brandt’ (1609 – 1610). Alte Pinakothek, Munich

Portrait of a Young Man, by Peter Paul Rubens c. 1613-15

Family of Jan Brueghel the Elder, 1613–1615, Courtauld Institute of Art

Anne of Austria, Queen Consort of France, 17th century. (Anne of Austria, Queen Consort of France, 17th century.) Peter Paul Rubens 1615

Portrait of Nicolaas Rockox, 1615.

Portrait of Jean Charles de Cordes by Peter Paul Rubens+ – 3D 3D Portrait of Jean Charles de Cordes (Porträt von Jean Charles de Cordes) Peter Paul Rubens 1618

The painter Jan Wildens (Der Maler Jan Wildens) Peter Paul Rubens 1620

Portrait of Louis XIII of France (Porträt von Louis XIII von Frankreich) Peter Paul Rubens 1622

A Man wearing a ruff Oil Painting ca. 1625 (painted) ©V&A

Originally thought to be Van Miereveld’s self-portrait, this painting is now considered to be the portrait of an unidentified sitter, probably executed by a member of his studio. The sitter is wearing an embroidered doublet with padding in the typical fashion of the first half of the 17th century, and a silk sash edged with lace. He has a large ruff of lace and wears a goatee also en vogue at that time, suggesting a time around 1625. Portraits were pursued more than any other type of paintings throughout the 17th century in Holland. A great majority of these were commissioned by well-to-do citizens, whether prosperous merchants and professionals, or members of the city patriciates.

ortrait of Don Diego Messia, Marques de Leganés, 1927 (Porträt von Don Diego Messia, Marques de Leganés, 1927) Peter Paul Rubens 1927

Portrait of a woman, possibly Clara Fourment (1593-1643) (Porträt einer Frau, möglicherweise Clara Fourment (1593-1643)) Peter Paul Rubens 1630

Portrait of a Man, possibly Peter van Hecke (1591-1645), c.1630 (Portrait of a Man, possibly Peter van Hecke (1591-1645), c.1630) Peter Paul Rubens 1630

Flemish painting, Portrait

Flanders was one of the regions that influenced European fashion from the Renaissance to the Baroque period. Particularly, Antwerp was considered a central hub of fashion, and artists hailing from the Flanders region, such as Peter Paul Rubens, are famous for their works depicting the fashion of that era. The reason for the popularity of ruff collars in Flanders is associated with the region’s significant influence in the world of fashion, where wealthy merchants and nobility were prominent residents. Their preference for elegant ruff collars akin to those worn by the nobility had an impact on the trend among the general population. Additionally, the Flanders-born artist Peter Paul Rubens is well-known for featuring numerous ruff collars in his artworks, further fueling the popularity of ruff collars. Rubens’ works gained widespread recognition across Europe and had an influence on fashion trends.

フランドル地方はルネサンス期からバロック期にかけて、ヨーロッパのファッションに影響を与えた地域の一つでした。特にアントワープ（Antwerp）は、ファッションの中心地の一つとされ、画家ピーテル・パウル・ルーベンス（Peter Paul Rubens）など、フランドル地方出身の芸術家たちはその時代のファッションを描いた作品で有名です。フランドル地方でラフカラーが流行した理由は、この地域がファッションの影響力のある中心地であり、裕福な商人や貴族が多く住んでいたことに関連しています。彼らが貴族のような品のあるラフカラーを好んで着用したことが、一般市民の間での流行に影響を与えました。またフランドル地方出身の画家ピーテル・パウル・ルーベンスは、自身の作品に多くのラフカラーを描いたことで知られており、これがラフカラーの流行に一層の拍車をかけたと考えられています。ルーベンスの作品は広くヨーロッパで知られ、ファッションのトレンドに影響を与えました。

South Netherlandish school, circa 1580 Portrait of a lady, three-quarter length, wearing a yellow and black embroidered dress, gold chains, and carrying gloves

Portrait présumé d’Amalia Elisabeth van HanauMunzenberg, 1617

Portrait of a Flemish Lady, probably 1618

Flemish Painter active ca. 1627

Portrait of an Unknown Flemish Woman Frans Pourbus the younger (1569–1622) (style of) National Trust, Dyrham Park 1619

Portrait of a scholar (Porträt eines Gelehrten) Rembrandt van Rijn 1631

Portrait of Nicolaes Ruts (Porträt von Nicolaes Ruts) Rembrandt van Rijn 1631

Jacob III de Gheyn (Jacob III of Gheyn) Rembrandt van Rijn 1632

Portrait of a Man, probably a Member of the Van Beresteyn Family (Porträt eines Mannes, wahrscheinlich ein Mitglied der Familie Van Beresteyn) Rembrandt van Rijn 1632

Portrait of a Woman (Porträt einer Frau) Rembrandt van Rijn 1632

The Preacher Johannes Uttenbogaert, c.1633 (Der Prediger Johannes Uttenbogaert, c.1633) Rembrandt van Rijn

Portrait of Cornelia Pronck, Wife of Albert Cuyper, at the age of 33, 1633 (Porträt von Cornelia Pronck, Ehefrau von Albert Cuyper, im Alter von 33 Jahren, 1633) Rembrandt van Rijn

Man with Sheet of Music, 1633 (Mann mit Notenblatt, 1633) Rembrandt van Rijn

Der Schiffsbauer und seine Frau (The shipwright and his wife) Rembrandt van Rijn 1633

Portrait of Haesje Jacobsdr. van Cleyburg (….-1641) (Portrait Haesje Jacobsdr. van Cleyburg (….- 1641)) Rembrandt van Rijn 1634

Portrait of Dirck Jansz (Porträt von Dirck Jansz) Rembrandt van Rijn 1634

Portrait of a Man in a Broad-Brimmed Hat (Porträt eines Mannes in einem breitkrempigen Hut) Rembrandt van Rijn 1635

Jan Daemen Cool – Portrait of a Young Woman with a Fan [1636]

Portrait of Aletta Adriaensdr. (Portrait of Aletta Adriaensdr.) Rembrandt van Rijn 1639

Portrait of a Lady, Circa 1640

Portrait of Baertje Martens (Portrait Baertje Martens) Rembrandt van Rijn 1640 ·

The Mennonite Preacher Anslo and his Wife (Die Mennonitenprediger Anslo und seine Frau) Rembrandt van Rijn 1641

The Nightwatch (Die Nachtwache) Rembrandt van Rijn 1642

Portrait of a nobleman, 1646

Old Lady with a Book, 1647 (Alte Dame mit einem Buch, 1647) Rembrandt van Rijn 1647 ·

Elizabeth I

The Virgin Queen

Elizabeth I, also known as the “Virgin Queen,” was one of the most famous monarchs in English history. She was born on September 7, 1533, in Greenwich Palace, London. Her birth was a significant event because it marked the beginning of a new era for England. Her father, King Henry VIII, had sought to annul his marriage to Elizabeth’s mother, Anne Boleyn, in order to marry someone else and produce a male heir. When the Pope refused to annul the marriage, Henry broke away from the Roman Catholic Church, leading to the English Reformation. Elizabeth’s early life was marked by turmoil and uncertainty. Her mother, Anne Boleyn, was executed on charges of adultery and treason when Elizabeth was just three years old. After her mother’s death, Elizabeth’s status in the royal court became precarious. She was declared illegitimate, and her half-sister Mary I succeeded to the throne.

Despite the challenges she faced, Elizabeth received a well-rounded education, which included subjects such as history, languages, music, and theology. Her education proved invaluable when she eventually ascended to the throne. In 1558, after the death of her sister Mary, Elizabeth became Queen of England at the age of 25. Her reign marked a pivotal period in English history. Elizabeth was a skilled diplomat and a master of statecraft. She navigated the complex political landscape of Europe, which was fraught with religious tensions between Catholics and Protestants.

One of the most significant achievements of Elizabeth’s reign was the establishment of the Church of England, separate from the authority of the Pope in Rome. She passed the Act of Supremacy in 1559, making her the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. This move solidified the Protestant Reformation in England and set the stage for the religious landscape of the country for centuries to come. Elizabeth’s reign is often referred to as the “Elizabethan Era” or the “Golden Age.” During this period, England experienced a flourishing of arts, literature, and exploration. Some of the greatest literary figures in history, including William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe, produced their masterpieces during her rule. The era also witnessed explorers like Sir Francis Drake circumnavigating the globe and the founding of the first English colony in America, at Roanoke Island.

One of the most defining moments of Elizabeth’s reign was the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. The powerful Spanish fleet, sent by King Philip II of Spain, was defeated by the English navy under the command of Sir Francis Drake. This victory secured England’s position as a major naval power and marked a turning point in European history. Throughout her reign, Elizabeth maintained a carefully cultivated image of the “Virgin Queen.” She never married, despite numerous suitors and political pressures to secure an heir to the throne. Her decision to remain unmarried allowed her to maintain her independence and focus on her role as a ruler. Elizabeth I’s reign lasted for 45 years, from 1558 to 1603. She passed away on March 24, 1603, at the age of 69, marking the end of the Tudor dynasty. Her successor was James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England, uniting the crowns of England and Scotland. Elizabeth’s legacy is enduring, and she is remembered as one of the most iconic and influential monarchs in English history. Her reign is celebrated for its cultural achievements, political stability, and England’s emergence as a global power during the Elizabethan Era.

エリザベス1世は、イングランドの歴史における最も有名な君主の一人であり、通称「バージンクィーン」として知られています。彼女は1533年9月7日にロンドンのグリニッジ宮殿で生まれました。彼女の誕生はイングランドにとって新しい時代の幕開けを意味しました。彼女の父親であるヘンリー8世は、彼女の母親であるアン・ブーリンとの結婚を無効にし、別の女性との結婚と男子の王位継承者の誕生を望んでいました。教皇が結婚の無効を拒否したため、ヘンリーはローマカトリック教会から離れ、イングランド宗教改革を始めました。エリザベスの幼少期は不安定さと混乱に満ちていました。母親であるアン・ブーリンは、エリザベスが3歳のときに姦通と反逆の罪で処刑されました。母親の死後、エリザベスの王宮での地位は危うくなり、彼女は庶民とされました。その後、異母姉妹であるメアリー1世が王位を継ぎました。しかし、エリザベスは苦境に立たされながらも幅広い教育を受け、歴史、言語、音楽、神学など多岐にわたる知識を身につけました。彼女の教育は、後に王位に就いた際に非常に役立ちました。1558年、異母姉妹メアリーが亡くなり、25歳のエリザベスが女王に即位しました。彼女の治世は、イングランドの歴史において転換期となりました。エリザベスは巧妙な外交家であり、国際政治の複雑な舞台裏を巧みに操りました。特にカトリックとプロテスタントの宗教対立が続く中で、彼女はイングランド国教会の設立を推進しました。エリザベス1世の治世はしばしば「エリザベス朝時代」とも呼ばれ、芸術、文学、探検の黄金時代とされています。ウィリアム・シェイクスピアやクリストファー・マーロウなど、歴史上最も偉大な文学者が彼女の統治時代に傑作を生み出しました。この時代では、フランシス・ドレーク卿による世界一周航海や、アメリカのロアノーク島に最初のイングランド植民地を設立するなど、探検家たちも活躍しました。エリザベス1世治世の最も象徴的な瞬間の1つは、1588年にスペインアルマダを撃破したことです。スペイン国王フェリペ2世が派遣した強大な艦隊は、フランシス・ドレーク卿率いるイングランド海軍によって打ち破られました。この勝利はイングランドを主要な海軍大国とし、ヨーロッパの歴史における転換点となりました。エリザベスの治世を特徴づけるもう1つの要素は、「童貞女王」という彼女のイメージです。彼女は多くの求婚者や王位継承者を持ちながらも結婚しないことを選び、独立性を維持し、君主としての役割に専念しました。エリザベス1世の統治は1558年から1603年までの約45年にわたり、彼女は69歳で亡くなりました。これにより、テューダー朝は終焉し、その後継者としてスチュアート朝のジェームズ6世（スコットランド王）がジェームズ1世（イングランド王）として即位し、イングランドとスコットランドの王位が統合されました。エリザベス1世の遺産は今もなお続き、彼女はイングランド史上最も象徴的で影響力のある君主の一人として記憶されています。彼女の統治は文化の繁栄、政治の安定、エリザベス朝時代の興隆として称賛されており、イングランドの国際的な影響力を高めました。

Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603)

Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I 1573

Elizabeth I, Queen of England and Ireland, 1575

Portrait of Elizabeth I (1533-1603) c.1575-80

Portraiture of Elizabeth I 1585

Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, c.1586

The Armada portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, c.1590

Queen Elizabeth I, c.1585-90 (panel) c.1590

One of many portraits of its type, with a reversed Darnley face pattern, c. 1585–90

Queen Elizabeth I , c.1600

Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (1533-1603)

Queen Elizabeth I (‘The Ditchley portrait’) c.1592 (oil on canvas)

Elizabeth I Rainbow Portrait 1600-1602

The technique of cutwork used to make this piece of lace was the creation of a delicate structure of needle lace stitches across the spaces cut in a fine linen ground. It reached the height of its popularity in the late sixteenth and early seventeeth century, when it was used to decorate every type of linen and in particuar to draw attention to the face and throat in the form of collars and ruffs. This short length of border may well have been part of a ruff, and it has been reconstructed in this way in the museum with the attachment of a linen support.

このレースの一部を作成するために使用されたカットワーク技術は、細かいリネン地に切り抜かれたスペースにニードルレースのステッチで繊細な構造を作り出す技法でした。これは16世紀後半から17世紀初頭に最も人気があり、リネン製のあらゆる種類の装飾に使用され、特に襟やラフとして顔と喉に注意を引くために使用されました。この短いボーダーの一部はおそらくラフの一部であり、博物館ではリネンのサポートを取り付けてこのように再構築されました。

Ruffs were primarily favored in white, which was the most popular and fundamental color choice. Occasionally, the starch used to stiffen the ruff was enriched with dyes, resulting in a variety of pastel hues that would fade away when laundered. Dyes sourced from plants introduced shades like pink, light purple, yellow, and green to ruffs. Light purple could also be achieved using cochineal, while saffron produced yellow and smalt created pale blue. The bluish undertone of a ruff was intended to enhance the wearer’s complexion, making them appear paler and therefore more appealing to their contemporaries. However, Queen Elizabeth I had reservations about this color and issued a royal decree stating, “Her Majesty’s pleasure is that no blue starch shall be used or worn by any of her Majesty’s subjects, since blue was the color of the flag of Scotland.” Among the dyed ruffs, those in yellow were the most popular across Europe. In England, however, the popularity of yellow waned after the trial and execution of Anna Turner, a convicted murderer believed to be the inventor of yellow starch. During her trial, it was noted that she wore a yellow ruff, which began to symbolize a decline in morality. Some of Anna’s contemporaries even claimed that the executioner, ironically, chose to wear the same color while carrying out her sentence. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that this detail might be a rumor of the time, as there are alternative primary sources that do not mention it. Colored ruffs are rarely depicted in portraits, not only because they were less popular than white ones but also because later restorers repainted them, believing that white was the “correct” color for ruffs.

ラフの最も一般的な基本色は白でしたが、ラフの装飾性を強調するために、時折でんぷんが染料で色づけされることもありました。洗濯と共にでんぷんが取り除かれ、フリル部分にさまざまなパステル調の色が与えられました。これらの色は、植物由来の染料を使用して実現され、ピンク、薄紫、黄色、緑色、淡い青などがありました。特に、フリルに青みのかかった紫色は、着用者の肌をより白く見せるために人々にとって魅力的とされました。一方、エリザベス1世の時代には青いラフの着用について制限がありました。青いでんぷんはスコットランドの国旗の色と関連付けられており、エリザベス1世の臣民は青いでんぷんを使用しないようにという王室特権が発令されました。染められたラフの中でも、黄色のものがヨーロッパ全体で最も人気がありました。ただし、後にイギリスでは黄色のラフが流行しなくなりました。これは、黄色でんぷんの発明者であるとされる有罪判決を受けたアンナ・ターナーの裁判と処刑に関連しています。アンナの黄色いラフは一部の人々にとって道徳的な問題を引き起こし、さらに死刑執行人が彼女と同じ色の服を着て刑を執行したという逸話が広まりました。ただし、これについての詳細な情報には疑念があり、当時の信頼性の低い噂とされています。また、色付きのラフは肖像画でほとんど見かけないこともあり、後に修復された際に白く塗り直されたため、正確な情報が得られにくいです。