Elizabethan Art in England
Queen Elizabeth I's loved the arts and it showed. During her reign, paintings were dominated by portraiture and miniatures in particular. Elaborate textiles as well as embroidery were also prevalent in the decorative arts while sculpture found a place in architectural decoration and tombs.The Queen also took interest in her portraits. She guided many artists such as Nicholas Hilliard as well as Marcus Gheeraerts in creating stylized imagery which portrayed elegance, power and wealth. Artists like the ones aforementioned received various commissions from the Crown and they all employed the techniques from European Mannerism as well as from the school of Fontainebleau.
They created large-scale and full length painting which portrayed nobility in flamboyant and luxuriously decorated costumes which come with embroidery, armor, hunting gear, ruffs, lace and weapons. In doing so, they made this highly decorative yet artificial style a major characteristic of Elizabethan England Art.
Some of the most renowned Elizabethan England works of Art are the miniature paintings. Miniatures are a revived classical form of art stemming from the tradition of illuminated manuscripts as well as from the Renaissance's portrait medals.
It is believed that Nicholas Hilliard learned this craft from a foreign artist, Hans Holbein. Hilliard was able to produce miniatures which were painted on ivory card or vellum which often times functioned as lockets or cameos. Hilliard was considered to be the Queen's favorite artists and many of the court's larger portraits of the Queen were based on Hilliard's portraits and miniatures.
Elizabethan England decorative arts were dominated by silver works. The demand for silver saw a significant increase due to the increase in population and expansion of both middle and upper classes.
Many silver plates were decorated with embossed strapwork, vegetal forms as well as grotesque figures.
Intricate foliage designs as well as patterns were applied on to suits of armor and the textiles were embroidered with colorful silk and threads of pure gold and silver. In terms of art in architecture in Elizabethan England, it was all about a show of wealth as well as status.
The Elizabethan style closely followed the Tudor style but it was succeeded by the Italian style which was introduced by Ingo Jones. It answered the Cinque-Cento period in Italy, the Francois I from France and the Silversmiths or Plateresque style from Spain.
Art during Elizabethan England was at its peak. London, considered to be the heart of England, was then a center for both culture and commerce.
Many artisans as well as poets and dramatists, including William Shakespeare, were among the leaders of the day.
Elizabethan styles are often considered to be eclectic and borrow many motifs from the Italian, Continental Gothic as well as Flemish designs.
Architecture worked towards a well-ordered symmetry. Home exteriors and interiors were decorated with elaborate reliefs, ornate chimneys, mullions and friezes.
As mentioned beforehand, art during Elizabethan England was a show or expression of power, status and wealth. Quite fitting, actually, everything was grandiose as its people were the same.
Source Information:
Name of Website: Elizabethan England Life.com
Name of Article: (insert the name of the article)
Name of Author: Prasad Mahabal
Date Published: 2013
Date of Access: April 2, 2015
Type of Medium:Web
Elizabethan Clothing in England
Clothing wasn't just merely an insignificant thing in the days of Elizabethan England. In fact it is quite significant that there is even a law related to it. These laws stated the colors as well as the type of clothing an individual was allowed to own and wear.
These laws were called 'Statutes of Apparel" and was enforced by the Queen herself in Greenwich on June 1574. The intent was to maintain social structure as well as to keep a firm restrain on the people's expenditure towards clothing.
Basically, Elizabethan Clothing was a part of the social order. It is also indicative of a particular person's status not only reflecting how wealthy or poor they are but also of their social reputation. For example, back then it is absurd for a peasant to copy more well off individuals through "luxurious" clothing which were only worn by upper classes.
The upper class of Elizabethan England wore elegant and luxurious clothing that were made of expensive velvet, exotic silk and satin. Only the members of the Royal Family were allowed to own robes which were trimmed with ermine. Less noble folk wore clothing trimmed with either fox or otter.
Quite the contrast to the luxurious clothing of the affluent was the clothing worn by peasants. They wore clothing made of simple materials such as English cotton, wool and leather. Woolen clothing was in fact quite popular among the working as well as domestic classes since it was rather cheap and the wool trade saw a increase during the period.
The dyes that were used to color the lavish clothing of the noble of Elizabethan England cost quite a bit. In one of Elizabeth I's surviving portraits, she was shown wearing a crimson robe. The deep crimson coloring was obtained from an insect which was only found in the Mediterranean.
The brightest colors demanded a higher price tag and were only available to the upper class. The brightness of the color and its richness are the determining factors as to how expensive it would be. The working class or peasants wore clothes dyed in yellow, orange, green, pale blue, pink and russet.
Elizabethan England Clothing for women usually consisted of gowns, underclothing, corsets, hats, ruffs, collars and shoes. The men wore doublets, underclothing, breeches, ruffs, collars, hats and shoes.
Women often wore fancy jewelry but for both men and women ruffs were an indispensable item that adds to their elegant look. The Queen herself wore many elaborate collars. The ruffs were worn around the neck or wrists and became significantly larger later on.
Rich Elizabethan women also wore thick petticoats and on top of this came the corset and skirts. Their skirts were held up with hoops and are often padded at the hips. Then on top of all the was an outer bodice and a skirt or a fine dress and to finish it off, the women wore a coat or a dressing gown which went all the way down to the floor.
Talk about grandiose and not to mention heavy. But one must remember, that just like their art and architecture, clothing in the Elizabethan Era was also an indicator of a person's wealth and status.
Source Information:
Name of Website: Elizabethan England Life
Name of Article: (insert the name of the article)
Name of Author: Prasad Mahabal
Date Published: 2013
Date of Access: April 2, 2015
Type of Medium:Web
Daily Life in Elizabethan England
The Elizabethan period in England had a daily life based on social order: the monarch as the highest, the nobility as second rank, the gentry as third, merchants as fourth, and laborers as fifth. The queen was believed to be God's representation here on Earth.
They also believed that God had formed these social ranks and had showered blessings on each rank. Their Parliament had also regulated the clothes that can only be worn by each rank. For a laborer to wear clothes of the rich was not allowed and considered to be a defiance of the order.
The Elizabethans had a high regard for family in a community. They believed that families were role models for the community. They were standardized and followed a deep respect for the importance of hierarchy.
They had customary rulings for the behavior of children that were taken from Bible passages. These passages were explanations on the duty of parents in properly raising their children and likewise the responsibility of children to respect and obey their elders.
Another law stated that when an individual dies, there was a need to write in an inventory all of the possessions accounted to that individual because this was an informative source or the remaining witness on how the subjects of Elizabethan era lived.
People from every social rank began to acquire more household properties during the period of Queen Elizabeth. It was noticeable how houses were constantly changing.
For reasons of privacy and comfort, medieval structures using a barn pattern were modernized and added up more chambers or divided rooms. Other town houses in London and big country properties were usually owned by counselors and courtiers of the Elizabethan time. These became great representations of architectural style during the period.
Despite the developing awareness of the significance of comfort in any household, daily life in England during the Elizabethan era was still very difficult for the majority of the subjects. The Westerners ate at least two day meals, which are dinner and supper.
The middle and low ranks ate vegetables and grains. The nobility class ate sweet food and meats. Generally, life expectancy reached until 42 years old, but of course the richer rank had lived years longer than that.
All the more Elizabethan problems with sickness and diseases were worsened by the town's low sanitary measures. The treatment and procedures for medical attention were unorganized and fell short to complete the need; even people who were able to seek medical help had to go through painful procedures and other medication problems. Worst, the poor ranks had to undergo their medication through the traditional form of healing that was solely based on superstitious beliefs.
Elizabethan period was considered to be the period where parlor was introduced, which became a section for new entertainment. The recreation was based on team or blood sports and other activities for personal amusement. For the wealthier rank, hunting became their favorite leisure game.
Source Information:
Name of Website: Elizabethan England Life
Name of Article: (insert the name of the article)
Name of Author: Prasad Mahabal
Date Published: 2013
Date of Access: April 2, 2015
Type of Medium:Web
Crime and Punishment during the Elizabethan Period
Torture, as far as crime and punishment are concerned, is the employment of physical or mental pain and suffering to extract information or, in most cases, a confession from a person accused of a crime.
While torture seems barbaric, it was used during the Golden Age, what many consider to be that time in history when Elizabeth I sat on the throne and England enjoyed a peaceful and progressive period, and is still used in some cultures today.
During the reign of Elizabeth I, the most common means of Elizabethan era torture included stretching, burning, beating, and drowning (or at least suffocating the person with water). Torture at that time was used to punish a person for his crimes, intimidate him and the group to which he belongs, gather information, and/or obtain a confession.
Torture succeeded in breaking the will of and dehumanizing the prisoner, and justice during the Elizabethan era was served with the aid of this practice. In fact, it was said that Elizabeth I used torture more than any other monarchs in England's history.
During the Elizabethan era, treason was considered as the worst crime a person could ever commit. Consequently, it was at cases of high treason when torture was strictly and heavily employed. Other heinous crimes - including robbery, rape, and manslaughter - also warranted the use of torture.
The degree of torture that was applied was in accordance with the degree of the crime. Reportedly, women suffered from torture only rarely and lords and high officials were exempted from the act.
There were different ways with which to perform torture upon a prisoner, all of which are humiliating and painful. Boiling a prisoner to death was called for when the crime committed was poisoning. Cutting off the right hand, as well as plucking out eyes with hot pinchers and tearing off fingers in some cases, was the punishment for stealing. Mutilation and branding were also popular or standard means of torture.
The pillory, a T-shaped wooden frame in which the prisoner placed his hands on the crossbars and his head at the top, sticking out on a hole, was an infamous tool for inflicting torture. The pillory was often placed in a public square, and the prisoner had to endure not only long hours on it, but also the menacing glares and other harassments, such as stoning, from the passersby.
The dunking stool, another tool for inflicting torture, was used in punishing a woman accused of adultery. The prisoner would be placed on the stool and dunked under water several times until pronounced dead.
A prisoner accused of robbery, rape, or manslaughter was punished by trapping him in cages that were hung up at public squares. Again, people's jeers, taunts, and other harassments added to his suffering. He was only taken down when the loss of his strength became apparent, quartered, and pronounced dead.
All throughout the period, Elizabethan era torture was regularly practiced and as a result, the people were tamed and afraid and crimes were low in number.
Source Information:
Name of Website: Elizabethan England Life
Name of Article: (insert the name of the article)
Name of Author: Prasad Mahabal
Date Published: 2013
Date of Access: April 2, 2015
Type of Medium:Web
Elizabethan Era Weapons - Swords, Muskets
During the reign of Elizabeth I, also referred to as the Virgin Queen, among other nicknames, England suffered from constant threat of war from the other superpowers of the time, Spain and France. To catch up with the needs of war, the army of the Elizabethan era tried to employ weapons that were modern and up to date.
The problem at that time, in terms of arms, was that weapons from the medieval period were still used and wielded by trained military men, thus showing a necessity for the immediate advancement of Elizabethan era weapons.
During the early years of the Elizabethan era, swords were the choice in weaponry. Nobles were required to learn fencing, so there were quite different kinds of swords - including broadswords, cutting swords, and the rapier - used not only inside fencing classrooms, but in war.
The rapier was the favorite among the swords mentioned. Men of nobility and military career chose the rapier because, although the other swords were wider, it was lighter, slender, and more sharply pointed. Men who held the rapier could use the sword for both thrusting and cutting attacks.
Swords were not the only weapons used during the early period of the Elizabethan era. Since weapons at that particular time in the era mainly composed of those used in the medieval period, the battle axe, dagger, halberd, longbow, mace, pike, spear, and the crossbow, specifically the arbalest, were some of the other choices in weaponry.
The crossbow or the arbalest, however, was ordered by Queen Elizabeth I to be replaced by what perhaps was the most advanced weapon that was ever used during her reign: the musket. Although the musket was created in 1520, the Queen only saw it fit for her men to use it in the 1590s, thus making firearms the new Elizabethan era weapons and changing the face of England's weaponry forever.
The kind of musket employed in the Elizabethan era used the matchlock mechanism, which tried automatic ignition through the use of a lighted match. Because of the process it took to fire, the musket was found to be slow to reload and inaccurate when used to shoot a target over a hundred meters. Still, the musket remained an indispensable weapon since it was introduced and throughout the rest of the era.
The crossbow was not the only medieval weapon replaced by recent innovations in weaponry during the Elizabethan era. The trebuchet, ballista, and the mongonel were replaced by the canon, which was crafted with bronze or iron, with the round shots made of iron or stone balls. The canon proved a most helpful change in Elizabethan era weapons since it could be used both at land and on sea.
The Elizabethan era has always been referred to as the Golden Age, a time when England reportedly proved successful in all its endeavors, including its military expeditions and conquests. The superiority of English warfare - the weapons used during war - proved itself time and again, and added to England's supremacy as a nation.
Source Information:
Name of Website: Elizabethan England Life
Name of Article: (insert the name of the article)
Name of Author: Prasad Mahabal
Date Published: 2013
Date of Access: April 2, 2015
Type of Medium:Web