Burial Robes of the Polish King Sigismund III Vasa. Analysis of Textiles and Clothing

Cybulska, Maria; Drążkowska, Anna

doi:10.2478/ftee-2023-0043

Figures & Tables

At the top: Remains of the Polish King Sigismund III Vasa, 3D scan by Jakub Curyło, Cybid company; at the bottom: in situ dalmatic and gloves, photos by Anna Drążkowska

Dalmatic: silk taffeta embroidered with a metal wrapped thread, tassel and trimmings: A plain and B- patterned galloons. Photos by Maria Cybulska

Weaving techniques: A. Fabric of the cope: Gros de Tours patterned and brocaded; B. Trimming of the dalmatic- patterned galloon with fringes and decorative loops; C. Coffin upholstery – solid velvet. Illustration by Maria Cybulska

Fabric of the cope, Gros de Tours patterned and brocaded. At the bottom: details of the fabric face (on the left) and reverse (on the right). Photos by Maria Cybulska

Fragment of doublet. A – detail of the main fabric, B – embroidered trimming, C- button, D lace. Photos by Maria Cybulska

Alb, made of silk taffeta trimmed with a bobbin lace. Photos by Maria Cybulska

Portrait of King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) by unknown painter, circa 1620, Museum of Zamość1

On the left: Pieter Soutman, Portrait of Sigismund III Vasa in coronation robes, painted circa 1624, Staatsgalerie Neuburg2, On the right:Christian Melich, Sigismund III Vasa on catafalque, 1633, dep. Wawel Castle3

Results of analysis of textiles

clothing	Item	Technic	Threads	Raw material	Threads structure: twist [no of twists/cm; diameter [mm]; other characteristics for metal threads: wraps/cm; strip width [mm]	Thread count n/ cm	Other
dalmatic	main fabric	taffeta	warp	silk	S; 0,117	70	Figure 3.
	main fabric	taffeta	weft	silk	S; 0,205	53	Figure 3.
	embroidery	running stitch		silver gilt on silk core	metal wrapped thread, doubled Z; thread diameter 0,8; single thread: 20 wraps/cm in S; strip width 0,41; silk core: S; 0,39	x	Stitch length ca 13 mm.
	galloon 1	plain weave	warp	silver gilt on silk core	metal wrapped thread, diameter 0,33; 18 wraps/cm in S direction; strip width 0,48	29	Width of the galloon 13 mm (38 warp ends). Figure 3A.
	galloon 1	plain weave	weft	silver gilt on silk core	metal wrapped thread, diameter 0,33; 18 wraps/cm in S direction; strip width 0,48	4,5	Width of the galloon 13 mm (38 warp ends). Figure 3A.
	galloon 2	rep and basket weaves, patterned	warp	silk	plied 2S; 0,28	56	Width ca 21 mm (with loops and fringes). Figures 2B and 3B.
			main weft	silk	plied S2Z; 0,44	21
			supplementary patterning weft	silver gilt on silk core	metal wrapped thread, diameter 0.35; 23 wraps/cm in S direction; strip width 0,33	21
	tassel	braided		silk	S2(S2Z) 0,55 mm	x	Silk and metal thread on a wooden core. Figure 3.
				silver gilt on silk core	metal wrapped thread, diameter 0.29; 19 wraps/cm in S direction; strip width 0,32	x
				silver gilt on silk core, doubled	doubled Z; single thread: 0,29 m; 19 wraps/cm in S direction; strip width 0,32	x
cope	main fabric	Gros de Tours, patterned and brocaded	warp	silk	S; 0,15	64	Pattern repeat 17x15 cm. Selvedge 8,7 mm wide in rep. 52 warp ends: 12 green (g), 6 yellow (y), 10 g, 6 y, 6 g, 6 y, 6 g. Edge warp end – flax plied yarn. Figures 2A and 4.
			main weft	silk	Z; 0,18	44
			supplementary patterning weft	silver gilt	flat metal thread, width 0,15	22
			supplementary brocading weft - metal thread together with a fine silk thread.	silver gilt on silk core	metal wrapped thread, 22 wraps/cm in S direction; thread diameter 0,46; strip width 0,35; silk core: S, diameter 0,46	22
				silk	S; 0,07	22
doublet	main fabric	Gros de Naples brocaded	warp	silk	Z2Z; 0,25	69	Pattern repeat 8,5x10 cm. Figure 5.
			main weft	silk	Doubled Z; 0,47	17
			supplementary brocading weft	silk	S2Z; 0,67	17
	lining	taffeta	warp	silk	S; 0,15	70
	lining		weft	silk	low twist; 0,15	50
	vams laces	flat braid		silk	S3Z ; 0,69	18	Width 9,5-10 mm. Figure 5D.
doublet trimming	background	satin 4/1(2)	warp	silk	0,15	92	Figure 5. Detail in Figure 5B.
	background	satin 4/1(2)	weft	silk	0,22	42
	embroidery	couching	laid thread 1	silk	plied thread: Z2(S2S); 0,62
			laid thread 2	silk	wrapped thread: doubled core (S; 0,49) wrapped in Z direction with doubled thread (S; 0,21); 18 wraps/ cm; total thickness 0,71
			coaching thread	silk	doubled S2S; 0,26
		half cross stitch		silk	doubled S2S; 0,35
alb	main fabric	taffeta	warp	silk	doubled S; 0,17	63	Figure 6.
	main fabric	taffeta	weft	silk	doubled S; 0,21	46	Figure 6.
	trimming	bobbin lace	X	silver gilt	metal wrapped thread: thread diameter 0,48; 16 wraps/cm in S direction; strip width 0,49		Width 20 mm. Figure 6.
Cassock	fabric	5 ends satin	warp	silk	S; 0,08	115
Cassock	fabric	5 ends satin	weft	silk	no visible twist; 0,21	46
coffin upholstery	fabric	solid velvet	main warp	silk	S; 0,1	96	Grooved rod every 3 weft picks. Ground weave irregular broken twill. Figure 2C .
			pile warp	silk	S2; 0,17	32
			weft	silk	very low Z; 0,17	51

Burial Robes of the Polish King Sigismund III Vasa. Analysis of Textiles and Clothing

Figures & Tables

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Results of analysis of textiles

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