Culture in motion : Material culture in the inventory of Catherine Jagiellon’s dowry from 1562 and its analysis from culture transfer perspective

• Main Author: Frick, Urszula
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Uppsala universitet, Konstvetenskapliga institutionen 2019
• Subjects: Catherine Jagiellon; Poland; Sweden; inventory; dowry; renaissance; material culture; culture transfer; culture hybridization; Humanities and the Arts; Humaniora och konst
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-387408

On the 4th of October 1562, the Polish princess Catherine Jagiellon married the Swedish prince and duke of Finland Johan Vasa. Leaving Poland, Catherine Jagiellon was equipped with a very rich dowry and followed by an entourage of nearly 50 people. The objective of this study is to investigate the objects and people surrounding the newly wedded 16th century princess and asses if the document mirrors the complex cultural interactions of the early modern world. The analysis of the inventory is carried out using two theoretical approaches: material culture and culture transfer. The study is constructed in two parts. The first part focuses on the analysis of the sections of the inventory following the order of the document. If possible, the objects are mapped, their history is traced through the sources, their appearance and function are discussed. The examination of the members of the court is also carried out. With the deepened analysis of the inventory as a basis, the second part of the study is dedicated to the search of culture hybridization markers in described artefacts, people, practices as well as the language of the document itself. With the result of this investigation, the author is able to pinpoint the complex international cultural processes that were occurring in an early modern world.