Photo: Milena Szabat, UG Publishing House
Did Gdańsk inhabitants like to dress up? What were the characteristics of Spanish, Italian or English fashion in the old Gdańsk? What was the function of ruffs, aprons or pompoms? These and many other questions were answered by dr Aleksandra Kajdańska, author of the book entitled "Ubiory w nowożytnym Gdańsku od połowy XVI do końca XVIII" (TN: 'Attire in modern Gdańsk from the mid-16th to the end of the 18th century'), published by UG Publishing House.
The meeting in Sala Mieszczańska of the Old Town Hall with dr Aleksandra Kajdańska was organised by the Baltic Sea Cultural Centre in Gdańsk in cooperation with the UG Publishing House.
The publication, which is also a dissertation, is devoted to the development of clothing and fashion in Gdańsk over the centuries, illustrating the dynamic growth of the city on the Motława River in the background. The author examined objects found in collections of museums all over the world. Looking at clothes, iconography, diaries, travel descriptions and inventory records, she has created an extremely rich and interesting study of not only the fashion in Gdańsk between the XVI and XVIII centuries but also the prevailing customs, habits and culture in the broad sense of the term.
During the meeting, the author talked about the life of Gdańsk inhabitants in the golden age - the time of economic boom and intensive development of international trade contacts, which had an impact on the fashion of the time.
The event in the pearl of Dutch Mannerism architecture was honoured by a concert of early music ensembles Amicorum and Sorelle under the artistic direction of Magdalena Warżawa from the Youth Palace in Gdańsk. The ensembles were accompanied on viola da gamba by outstanding instrumentalist Adela Czaplewska, a graduate of the Early Music Studio of the Youth Palace, among others. The concert programme included 16th-century European and Gdańsk works. The meeting in a renaissance atmosphere was enhanced by decorations of Gdańsk townswomen from the National Museum in Gdańsk and a visit of members of the Gdańsk Patricians Association in stylish costumes. The meeting was hosted by Ewa Karolina Cichocka from the UG.
Aleksandra Kajdańska - PhD in art history, theatrologist, historian of dance and dress. Author of many articles on the history of dance in Gdansk and the culture of the Far East. She also explores the history of Gdańsk cuisine. In 2018 she defended her doctoral dissertation entitled. "Ubiory w nowożytnym Gdańsku (od połowy XVI do końca XVIII wieku)" prepared under the supervision of dr hab. Anna Sieradzka, prof. UW at the University of Warsaw. The work was published by the University of Gdańsk Publishing House in 2020.
A photo essay by Milena Szabat on the website of the UG Publishing House:
