I really wanted to draw Hippodamea in all the luxury of the Middle Ages. But dressing up is not in the character of the Queen. All her life she tried to be the embodiment of moderation and modesty (as far as her high status allowed that).
A way out was found in depiction her during the wedding with king Wiglef the Purblind.
Hippodamea wearing an huppelande (goun, pellanda), an upper dress of the late 14th-15th centuries.
The diversity of colors here is also important.
The Azure half (in the language of heraldry) of the dress and Gules sleeves refer to the coat of arms of the groom. But a complete match of colors without Or (golden) stripes does not happen*. The bride insisted on this, because striped fabric was considered too provocative by most of the centaur people (Michel Pastoureau writes in “Black: The History of a Color” that in European history fabric with contrasting color combinations like stripes, checks, etc. has been associated with apostasy. Also he has a separate book about striped fabric “The Devil's Cloth: A History of Stripes”). The Queen wanted to show how she sees her reign from her very ascension to royalty. The Sable half of the wedding dress is the color of Hippodamea, who does not have her own coat of arms and generally prefers such a practical color.
* I tried to blazon Wiglef’ coat of arms. But I am a layman and am not sure about some heraldic terms in the English tradition. If you understand heraldry, correct me in the comments, please.
Blazon: Blazon: Bendy sinister of nine Or and Azure, a flaming heart Gules in fess.
A way out was found in depiction her during the wedding with king Wiglef the Purblind.
Hippodamea wearing an huppelande (goun, pellanda), an upper dress of the late 14th-15th centuries.
The diversity of colors here is also important.
The Azure half (in the language of heraldry) of the dress and Gules sleeves refer to the coat of arms of the groom. But a complete match of colors without Or (golden) stripes does not happen*. The bride insisted on this, because striped fabric was considered too provocative by most of the centaur people (Michel Pastoureau writes in “Black: The History of a Color” that in European history fabric with contrasting color combinations like stripes, checks, etc. has been associated with apostasy. Also he has a separate book about striped fabric “The Devil's Cloth: A History of Stripes”). The Queen wanted to show how she sees her reign from her very ascension to royalty. The Sable half of the wedding dress is the color of Hippodamea, who does not have her own coat of arms and generally prefers such a practical color.
* I tried to blazon Wiglef’ coat of arms. But I am a layman and am not sure about some heraldic terms in the English tradition. If you understand heraldry, correct me in the comments, please.
Blazon: Blazon: Bendy sinister of nine Or and Azure, a flaming heart Gules in fess.
Category Artwork (Traditional) / Fantasy
Species Unicorn
Size 881 x 1280px
File Size 436.3 kB
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