Polish costumes of the young dukes of Tuscany

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In 1622 Queen Constance of Austria (1588-1631), second wife of Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), sent a gift to the sons of his younger sister, the Grand Duchess of Tuscany. The sons of Maria Magdalena of Austria (1589-1631) were presented with a set of colourful costumes - żupan robe, delia coat and other necessary utensils of a Polish noble, including pernach mace and zygmuntówka sabre, among others (compare "Moda alla polacca w XVII-wiecznej Europie" by Jacek Żukowski). Their new exotic attires were captured in a series of portraits by the Medici family's court portraitist, the Flemish painter Justus Sustermans (1597-1681), known in Italy as Giusto Suttermans, at least one of which was undoubtedly sent to Warsaw in gratitude to Queen of Poland.

The portrait in the collection of Flint Institute of Arts in Michigan (oil on canvas, 143.8 x 118.3 cm, inv. 1965.15) depicting Maria Magdalena with her son Ferdinando de' Medici (1610-1670) in Polish costume is an exact copy of a painting preserved in the Uffizi Gallery in Florance (oil on canvas, 144 x 118, inv. 1890, 2246). It is possible that it was in the possession of the Polish Vasas and was taken by John II Casimir Vasa to France after his abdication in 1668. The painting now in the Uffizi was delivered by the artist to the Guardaroba Medicea on February 15, 1623 at the same time as that of Maria Magdalena's husband Cosimo II (inv. 1890, 2245), painted after other effigies, since the Grand Duke died in 1621. There is also a full-length version in Vienna (Kunsthistorisches Museum, oil on canvas, 200 x 101 cm, inv. GG 6464), undoubtedly offered to the Habsburg relatives of the Grand Duchess of Tuscany. 

The portrait of Leopoldo de' Medici (1617-1675) in polacchino, wearing a white żupan, was also painted in the early 1620s, as the reverse of the painting bears the inscription: Principe Leopoldo Medici d'anno 4, mesi 4, which dates it to March 1622 (Uffizi, oil on canvas, 172 x 115.5 cm, inv. 1890, 3660). The painting in Konopiště Castle, depicting a Medici prince on horseback, dressed in a similar costume (oil on canvas, 258 x 246 cm, inv. K 13323, earlier 18125), was first thought to depict Prince Sigismund Casimir Vasa (1640-1647), son of Ladislaus IV Vasa (1595-1648) and Cecilia Renata of Austria (1611-1644), and later to be a portrait of Ferdinando de' Medici (after "Polski strój Medyceusza" by Magdalena Piwocka, p. 232). It is now believed to depict Leopoldo de' Medici, the future cardinal, based on a will by Roberto degli Obizzi (1566-1647) listing several paintings from his collection in Ferrara and at a residence not far from Modena, called La Quiete. An equestrian portrait was described as depicting "Prince Leopoldo on horseback at the age of seven, dressed in the Polish manner" (principe Leopoldo a cavallo d'età di sette anni vestito alla pollacca, after "Ritratti dei Medici dal Catajo: per la storia dei rapporti tra i Granduchi di Toscana e gli Obizzi" by Gianluca Tormen, p. 125). The white and crimson colors of Leopoldo's garment most likely also refer to Poland. 

Until the age of five, the little Medici were dressed exclusively in what were called ungherine or zimarrine, inspired by Hungarian-Polish fashion. The Guardaroba Medicea Archives list their colors and fabrics. Mentions of "Polish-style clothing" (vesti alla polacca) in the Medici inventories are frequent between 1618 and 1623-1624. For example for Leopoldo, three black Polish costumes made of tabi, ermesino, and velvet a opera pichola are mentioned. Even the court dwarves were outfitted with them by the same tailor: the "red Polish-style costume" (vestito di rosso alla Pollacca) was made for the dwarf Janni Pedina (after "I Principi bambini: abbigliamento e infanzia nel Seicento ...", ed. Kristen Aschengreen Piacenti, Silvia Meloni Trkulja, Roberta Orsi Landini, p. 53). It is quite possible that the portrait of a dwarf with a dog, preserved in the Pitti Palace in Florence, is a likeness of Janni. The model was depicted in a crimson żupan and holding a pernach mace. The painting is generally dated to the 1620s (oil on canvas, 174 x 115 cm, inv. 1890, 2453). It is also possible that the dwarf or his costume was sent from Constance of Austria to her sister, the Grand Duchess of Tuscany, as since the second quarter of the 16th century, dwarves from Poland were frequently sent to other European courts.

Portrait of Maria Magdalena of Austria (1589-1631), Grand Duchess of Tuscany with her son Ferdinando de' Medici (1610-1670) in Polish costume by Justus Sustermans, ca. 1622, Flint Institute of Arts.

​Portrait of Maria Magdalena of Austria (1589-1631), Grand Duchess of Tuscany with her son Ferdinando de' Medici (1610-1670) in Polish costume by Justus Sustermans, ca. 1622, Uffizi Gallery in Florance.

​Portrait of Maria Magdalena of Austria (1589-1631), Grand Duchess of Tuscany with her son Ferdinando de' Medici (1610-1670) in Polish costume by workshop of Justus Sustermans, after 1622, Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

Portrait of Leopoldo de' Medici (1617-1675) in Polish costume holding a pernach mace by Justus Sustermans, ca. 1622, Uffizi Gallery.

Equestrian portrait of Leopoldo de' Medici (1617-1675) in Polish costume with a sabre by Justus Sustermans, ca. 1622, Konopiště Castle.

Portrait of a dwarf in Polish costume holding a pernach mace, possibly Janni Pedina, and a dog by a Florentine painter, 1620s, Pitti Palace in Florence. 

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