period makeups: the fifteenth century
Fifteenth-century characters
This sub-section covers the fifteenth century which is broadly speaking the cusp between medieval and post-medieval Europe. However, establishing the end of the medieval era is a fairly arbitary process and will vary from historian to historian and from country to country: for Italy the fifteenth century is usually regarded at post-medieval; for Britain the coming of the Tudors in 1485 is a convenient point to end the Middle Ages; for Germany the dating may be as late as 1517.
Some years ago BBC showed a short Christmas entertainment by John Wells featuring Alison Steadman as a character from Jan van Eyck’s The Arnolfini Wedding but I can’t remember the title and it’s not included in her IMDb filmography: if anyone has any information or images please email themakeupgallery.
Plucked, Shaved and Braided: Medieval and Renaissance Beauty and Grooming Practices 1000–1600 (Daniela Turudich & Laurie J Welch) is described as a ‘hilarious romp through the medieval and Renaissance fashion world’ but I’m not sure if it ever reached the bookshops.