Among the outstanding treasures of the Dresden Rüstkammer are princely garments dating from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, which are unique in the world. One of the highlights is the parade dress worn by Elector August (1526-1586), which can now be displayed again for the first time in decades.
The jerkin, doublet, and striped trunk hose with codpiece are made of yellow silk satin overlaid with black lace. A precious gold fabric glitters through the slits of the striped hose. Together with August's bridegroom's costume dating from 1548 and the parade dress of Elector Moritz, this is one of the few surviving masterpieces of late Renaissance princely fashion.
Long exposure to light, its removal for safekeeping and its transportation during the Second World War, as well as earlier restoration efforts damaged the fabric and impaired the beauty of this magnificent garment. Textile restorers from the Abegg-Stiftung in Riggisberg (Switzerland) have painstakingly conserved and secured this sumptuous costume, so that its bygone splendour can be appreciated once more.
The exhibition explains and illustrates the process of investigating and restoring the costume and pays tribute to those who performed the work. Also on show are portraits, jewellery, and ceremonial weapons produced during the same period.
