DRAGANA PAVLOVIĆ
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Philosophy, History of Art Department, Belgrade, Serbia
drpavlov@f.bg.ac.rs

AKSESOAR NA PORTRETIMA SRPSKE VLASTELE U SREDNJEM VEKU
ACCESSORIES ON THE PORTRAITS OF SERBIAN NOBILITY IN THE MIDDLE AGES

Journal 15/2019 (Museum of Applied Art), pages 9-18

Article category: original scientific paper

UDC:
75.052.041.9(497.11)
391(497.11)
739(497.11)

Abstract (original language):
Vlasteoske portretne celine u slikarstvu srednjovekovne Srbije predstavljaju važan izvor za proučavanje insignija i kostima pripadnika tog privilegvanog društvenog sloja. Takođe, predstave vlastelina, njihovih supruga i muških i ženskih potomaka svedoče o običaju nošenja i slikanja pojedinih predmeta (pojas, ubrus, torbica) i vrsta nakita (naušnice, prstenje, ogrlice, kopče). Pomenuti predmeti bili su sastavni deo plemićke odeće i predstavljali su statusno obeležje vlastele. Detaljna analiza pokazala je da je odabir, prisustvo i količina pratećih predmeta i nakita zavisio od nekoliko činilaca: pola prikazane ličnosti, tipa i kroja odevnih predmeta, te ličnog izbora i ukusa pojedinca, kao i njegovih naročitih veština i sklonosti.

Key words: (original language)
aksesoar, vlasteoski portret, vlasteoski statusni simboli, srednjovekovni nakit, srpsko srednjovekovno zidno slikarstvo

Summary:
Portraits of the nobility on wall paintings and icons of medieval Serbia testify to the custom of wearing different types of dress accessories (belts, handkerchiefs, pouches) and jewellery (earrings, rings, necklaces, brooches). These accessories and jewellery are visible on representations of Serbian noblemen and noblewomen, as well as of their male and female descendants. The results of research have shown that the selection, presence and amount of dress accessories and jewellery depended on several factors: the gender of the depicted person, type and cut of attire, as well as on personal choice and taste of every individual, his or her skills and affinities. Thus, some types of jewellery, such as necklaces and earrings, were elements of female fashion. On the other hand, only males are depicted with pouches, while rings, brooches, belts and handkerchiefs were worn by both noblemen and their wives. Since some accessories, such as belts and handkerchiefs, were represented on the portraits of the aristocrats of different hierarchical levels, it can be concluded that the presence of that type of accessories was not related to the social rank of the person depicted. However, in some cases, the absence of such accessories depended on the specific cut of the noble dress. Furthermore, the presence and, at the same time, the absence of some dress accessories and jewellery on the portraits of the noblemen of the same social rank, even on the portraits of the same person in various churches, can be explained by the lack of firm rules that would be consistently obeyed when the portraits of these noblemen are in question. Undoubtedly, the above mentioned accessories and jewellery were the designation of the nobility and had a certain social connotation. They were used to accentuate the position of depicted noblemen and their family members in medieval society, to indicate their status and aesthetic criteria, even to emphasise the individuality of a certain person compared to other members of the family.

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