Cap Change

When I first started this project I used this picture as inspiration for a headpiece, because I believed that under this women’s hair was some kind of cap. However upon looking more closely I now believe that there is in fact no cap, and the decoration on her head is some kind of circlet. I am still not 100% sure but I decided to change my course anyway. And if anyone has and idea what she might be wearing I would love to hear your opinion!

So I decided on a very popular cap seen in many paintings from this time, which can be seen in the following paintings,

OLD MAN AND GIRL
c. 1530/1540, artist: Lucas Cranach the Elder

LOT AND HIS DAUGHTERS
1528 dated, artist: Lucas Cranach the Elder

I have never made a cap like this before so everything was guess work. I used the same fabric for the cap as I used for the middle bodice piece on the dress as I wanted it to match.

To start the cap I took a rectangular piece of fabric and sewed it once length wise and width wise. Then I cut a thinner rectangular piece which is what I made the band out of. I also used a piece of canvas to line the band in order to make it more durable

Pattern pieces

Then I sewed them together to end up with this,

Then I based stitched down that black line and pulled the thread to create a set of pleats and shorten the cap all together. I kept the extra fabric inside to add some volume.

This is the back of the cap after I pulled the thread

Then I wanted to decorate the band so I added some pearls,

Beading the band of the cap

Then I found some trim I had from a previous project that I thought would look great with it, so I sewed it on, and this is the final results

Pictures from:

Kunsthistorisches Museum

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2 Responses to Cap Change

  1. Kay of Tre Asterium says:

    Nice! This works. Have you deduced the hairstyle to go under it? The Cranach page at the National Gallery is a good source:
    https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/lucas-cranach-the-elder
    The nude woman in the top row has a hairstyle that suggests it it what is under the cap of the lady just below her, with the red gown and a large chain. The shape of each is the same.

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