Medieval man's beauty standards

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Medieval man, having a rather narrow outlook, still could form his own idea of beauty.

In the image and likeness

The concept of beauty for a medieval person, who for a long time lived in a completely homogeneous space, where the peoples of Germanic, Celtic and Mediterranean origin lived familiar to him, was to some extent the same. In general, there was no difference between the article of the rider from the Celtic tribe and the Roman centurion, Aphrodite and the Germanic deity in female form.

Beauty has always pleased God - after all, he created man in his own image and likeness. Saints, angels, Jesus, Virgin Mary - they are all alike. However, there were questions to the biblical characters from the point of view of the inhabitants of Western Europe: after all, they belonged to the chosen people, which the Christian Europe of the Middle Ages could not bear. Therefore, sacred persons wore local features depending on the region.

Closer to the 13th century, in the visual arts, we can observe more detailed images of both women and men, which show the characteristics and beauty of individual details. But by that time, the perception of beauty had not changed much.

Clothing in Medieval Europe

All the most valuable people of that time wore to stormy festivities, as a rule, in the city. The Middle Ages is a mixture of leather and iron in clothing in the minds of the uninitiated. The peasants could easily walk in jackets and short skirts, as can be seen in the medieval mosaics.

Over time, buttons and cords appeared on clothes instead of massive straps; scarves, caps and gloves became popular. Long pants were used instead of dresses. Long shirts, blouses, and tight hoses were available from the outer wardrobe. In the Middle Ages, there was no concept of "home" or "street" clothing: the costume was worn all day. Both in the afternoon and in the evening. Going to bed in cold weather, people put on everything they had.

For the wealthier public, things with the wardrobe were much more interesting: scarlet or green paint on clothes, collars made of rabbit hair, as well as wool of squirrels, ermines. In the XIV century, the assortment expanded significantly: earrings with precious stones, necklaces, gold jewelry.

Medieval clothing was usually without pockets. And where to wear all the most valuable things? Of course, on the belt. Keys, a tight purse, and even a cleaver were attached here.

What about shoes? Of course, there were also comfortable suede shoes with precious jewelry, but mainly leather and wood products prevailed. Such shoes wore out very quickly: they had to be changed at least once every three months. The shoemaker's profession was extremely popular and well paid.

Medieval Europe: hairstyles and hats

The principal features of a male or female image were determined by fashion. In this regard, nothing has changed: everyone wore clothes and hats that corresponded to current fashion trends. But there was another important aspect of this issue - a professional need. The white clergy left their faces without hair, while the monks let go of their beards. The warrior could not wear too long hair and a considerable beard: a closed helmet did not allow this. The painter also could not let go of his beard, because he could seriously stain it.

Women wore braids, sometimes hairpieces, and did hair styling. Archaeologists constantly find confirmation of this: scallops made of bone or wood are frequent finds of scientists who study the Middle Ages. And, of course, mirrors.

To loose hair is to remind society of their sexual significance. In public, a woman should have her hair pulled. At home, she could afford to walk with her head bare or with her hair loose, but outside of it - never.

Since the early Middle Ages, there have been several popular types of hats: a banal woolen cap for cold seasons, a straw hat that saved from sunlight on hot days. Over time, headdresses for clerics, merchants, and officials began to appear. Usually these were hats of different shapes and colors.

The whimsical outfits of the XIV-XV centuries, which we can see on the miniatures of that time, speak rather of the fashion of the court society. Such tendencies do not apply to common people.

A wardrobe is a serious item in the family budget of a medieval person. French experts calculated that at the end of the 14th century, an ordinary person needed 3 livres for clothing. And this is the cost of a hectare of land or a good horse. Without money - nowhere.