Woman of Cleves – Prussia

16th-Century Northern Renaissance Fashion Plates

This authentic 19th-century hand-colored engraving captures a historical costume reconstruction of Northern Renaissance fashion, originally dated back to 1581. The antique print displays a noblewoman from the Duchy of Cleves in formal holiday attire (Femme de Clèves en habit de fête), heavily based on original drawings by the famous Flemish engraver Abraham de Bruyn. These highly collectible plates are crucial for historians researching Renaissance regional clothing variations and traditional European festive garments.

Historical Costume of Cleves and Renaissance Textile Details

The vintage plate highlights the sophisticated layerings of 16th-century court dress from the Prussian region. The noblewoman models a structured black kirtle bodice paired with an expansive, vibrant golden-yellow underskirt featuring dark horizontal hem bands. The ensemble is completed by a rich brown heavy overcoat boasting voluminous, wide open sleeves with intricate lavender-grey pattern linings, complemented by a traditional white linen starched headdress and a stiff wired collar typical of German Renaissance fashion.