Costume as symbolism

During the Renaissance, royal garments were created with great opulence, as they served to showcase the splendor of the monarch and his family. Clothing and the necessary accessories formed part of a complex language used to express status and prestige.

Barbara Radziwiłł, born into a powerful and wealthy Lithuanian family, was surrounded by luxury from a young age. At the age of fourteen, when she married Olbracht Gasztołd, elaborate garments were prepared for her, including three robes made of cloth-of-gold (a fabric interwoven with gold or silver thread), as well as outfits made from satin and damask, and accessories adorned with precious pearls. The color palette of her attire included gold, various shades of red, and white accentuated with contrasting black details. As the wife of Sigismund Augustus, Barbara was enveloped in extraordinary splendor. The king personally oversaw the contents of her wardrobe, giving directives on the appropriate attire for each occasion. Barbara's clothing was crafted by her Italian tailor Francesco, and embellished with luxurious embroidery by the renowned embroiderer Sebald Link.

Barbara's gowns were made from rich, exclusive Italian fabrics, adorned with gold and pearl embroidery, as well as precious stones. The queen wore luxurious furs and numerous fashionable accessories. Her headwear—coifs, cambric ribbons, veils, and berets—was exceptionally refined and sophisticated.

After Barbara’s death, the king preserved her garments with great reverence, keeping them under lock and key, as the most precious treasures. Unfortunately, following the king’s death, Barbara’s clothing suffered some damage. In 1574, the heir to this magnificent collection, Anna Jagiellon, wrote to her sister Zofia that all the items, both gowns and ornaments […] have been nibbled by rats.

The richness of Barbara Radziwiłł’s attire is documented in a few surviving portraits from the era. Only four 16th-century depictions of her are known today: two oil portraits on sheet metal (now held in the collection of the National Museum in Kraków), the engraved gem (Staatliche Münzsammlung, Munich), and an oil portrait presented in Nieborów, belonging to the Radziwiłł family.

Portrait of Barbara Radziwiłł

Artist unknown

Second half of the 16th century

Private property of the Radziwiłł family

Numerous restorations have altered the original appearance of the portrait, which was originally a full-length depiction. The painting was once kept at the Radziwiłł castle in Biała and, according to tradition, came into the possession of the Woroniecki family, owners of the Huszlew estate near Łosice. In 1959, the portrait was purchased by Izabella and Edmund Radziwiłł from Stanisław Doria-Dernałowicz.

Travel toilet casket

17th century

The collections of the Museum in Nieborów and Arkadia, NB 145 MNW

Gown of Queen Barbara Radziwiłł

Recreated based on a 16th-century portrait of the queen and an embroidery invoice by Sebald Link.

Crafted from viscose velvet, glass pearls, and silk, entirely hand-sewn.

Atelier: Nomina Rosae

Design: Maria Molenda

Construction and tailoring: Elżbieta Mężyk

Pearl collar and headpiece: Elżbieta Mężyk, Halina Mężyk

Pearl embroidery: Emilia Nowak Przybyszewska, Damian Pyznar

Jewelry: Alexander Markus Bleicher