Albrecht Dürer's hat

January 23, 2007 9:09 PM

I want Albrecht Dürer's hat. The hat is the one in this self-portrait. I would like to make a replica of this hat. It looks fairly simple at a glance, but examining it closely, I can't figure out how it's constructed. Other paintings or illustrations of this type of hat would be helpful, too.
posted by Stove to media & arts (9 comments total)

This might be a helpful start.
posted by b33j at 9:17 PM on January 23, 2007

It's possible this link might do some good too.
posted by b33j at 9:22 PM on January 23, 2007

I think my own searching has already led me to such sites, and I couldn't find anything similar to this particular hat.

Notice how the black stripe in front of his ear ends just above the ear, but the next black stripe over the forehead continues further, and is folded up. Where does that stripe end? What might the hat look like from behind?
posted by Stove at 9:58 PM on January 23, 2007

I imagine this hat to be similar to a Santa hat or a stocking hat that is folded on itself.
posted by LoriFLA at 10:10 PM on January 23, 2007

That particular cap is an late adaptation of the chaperon, which itself is an adaptation of the hood: you'll get a sense of the construction here. This piece on the chaperon might also be helpful: Dürer's is something I'd call 'late late medieval', where all of the foofy trimmings have been stripped down to reflect the new fashons of the era.
posted by holgate at 10:16 PM on January 23, 2007

Go to your local fabric supermart (in Canada we have Fabricland) and find the pattern books. Look in the costume/historical section. I recall McCall's catalogue having a historical hat section.
posted by Count at 11:02 PM on January 23, 2007

I imagine this hat to be similar to a Santa hat or a stocking hat that is folded on itself.
This is what I'm referring to when I say that it looks fairly simple at a glance. Look at the seam between the black stripe and the white stripe that is folded up - if it is unfolded, there would be a corner there, and the rim would not be circular like a Santa hat.

That particular cap is an late adaptation of the chaperon...
I can see what you mean, but it looks like the problem above still applies, since the rim appears to be circular on the chaperon, too.

Go to your local fabric supermart (in Canada we have Fabricland) and find the pattern books.
I will try that, but I am doubtful that I will find a pattern for this specific hat. I fear I may have to use trial-and-error to figure this out.
posted by Stove at 8:14 AM on January 24, 2007

Notice how the black stripe in front of his ear ends just above the ear, but the next black stripe over the forehead continues further, and is folded up. Where does that stripe end? What might the hat look like from behind?
It looks to me that the stripe is merely covered up by another part of the hat. I think this is a cap with a long pointed tail and a tassel on the end (roughly cone shaped), and a lining which is visible above the forehead. The tail of the cap is wound on a circle on the head with the tassel over the ear. Were the wearer to move about much, the tail/tassel end of the cap would fall off the head, probably to dangle down the back (although it might be possible to pin the cap to itself to keep it's shape).

Also, do you know for sure that the hat looks exactly like the one in the painting? It does look quite realistic, but it is possible that some artistic licence was taken with some details of the hat.
posted by yohko at 12:37 PM on January 24, 2007

It looks to me that the stripe is merely covered up by another part of the hat. I think this is a cap with a long pointed tail and a tassel on the end (roughly cone shaped), and a lining which is visible above the forehead.
Do you mean that the lining has stripes perpendicular to the outside?

The tail of the cap is wound on a circle on the head with the tassel over the ear. Were the wearer to move about much, the tail/tassel end of the cap would fall off the head, probably to dangle down the back
It seems improbable to me that the tail is longer than it appears, and I can see surface continuity from the tail to the main part of the hat. But it is just a painting, and as you said, it might not be completely accurate.

I'm thinking the stripes do not taper, but are bundled up inside the two front stripes at the end of the tail.
I also have a theory about the folded stripes above the forehead that involves something like a Moebius strip. I'm not certain that it would produce a wearable hat, but if it works, it may turn out to be the most awesome hat ever.
posted by Stove at 8:40 AM on January 26, 2007