Question about a painting of Wilhelm I

[Utgardloki]

That's the only painting I know where such reduced sashs are worn, does anyone know another photograph or painting with the same style of wearing?

[laurentius]

Dear Utgardloki,

I have seen several photographs and paintings of him in the past wearing his sashes in this style. Although it was customary to only wear one sash at the time I have seen many photos and paintings ranging from the Napoleonic Era untill now of people wearing two or more sashes. However, I have only seen this manner (cut sash attached to belt) with Wilhelm I. I wonder if there ever were others from his era (like him, veterans of the napoleonic war) who partook in this style?

Kind regards, Laurentius

[Utgardloki]

Like You I know many paintings of people wearing multiple sashs, but saw this style only at Wilhelm I. I was doing lot of research in sash wearing over the last weeks. Does anyone know if there are already articles or other publications about sash waring styles and origins?

[laurentius]

Dear Utgardloki,

Here is a picture of Ernst I of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha wearing a sash in the same manner as Wilhelm I.

[Utgardloki]

@laurentius

Thanks for showing! Would be interesting if this was more common during the first half of the 19th century...

[Utgardloki]

Just saw this picture of Zar Ferdinand of Bulgaria

Source: Dorotheum, Vienna, auction from the 23rd of May 2018

[91-old-inf-reg]

Duke Albrecht von Österreich-Teschen

[1812 Overture]

On 29/05/2021 at 22:27, 91-old-inf-reg said:

Duke Albrecht von Österreich-Teschen

Good picture! Do you have a bar picture of the medal wearing this photo?

[BlackcowboyBS]

wow I am deeply impressed, never saw this before. So Thank you all for these wonderfull information and the photos! 

[03fahnen]

another example of using the abbreviated band

FRIEDRICH WILHELM GROSSHERZOG VON MECKLENBUR.STRELITZ K H 

[03fahnen]

two other examples:

 

https://www.rct.uk/collection/2909714/prince-christian-of-schleswig-holstein-1831-1917

 

https://www.rct.uk/collection/2908984/emperor-wilhelm-i-of-germany-1886-album-photographs-royal-portraits-1883-1891

 

 

[BlackcowboyBS]

I have started a similar thread in the German SDA forum, because I wanted to get their responce.

And the answers are:

 

• If short sashes  are worn with additional grand crosses, like to be seen with Wilhelm I., Zar Ferdiand, Duke Albrecht from Austria it is due the fact, that they wore the russian grand crosses of the order of saint Vladimir or order of saint Georg. So our russian friends in this forum should be able to enlight us, if there is someting written in the statues of these russian orders about wearing them this way.
• If the grand cross is worn like this and it is the only worn grand cross like we see in the other photos above, then it is a kind of fashion statement. If this is influenced by the russian orders or even by Napoleon, who often could be seen with his grand croos just lurking from his jacket and there is just one short pice of the sash to be seen, is unclear yet.

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Edited June 1, 2021 by BlackcowboyBS

[Bayern]

Archduke Albrecht of Austria Teschen was made Prussian Generalfeldmarschall in the year 1893 ,two years before his death still being General Inspector of the AH Army, aged 78. in his long service he received nearly 48 awards and orders , The Golden Fleece, the Pour Le Merite , Il Collare della Annunziata , the Order of the Redeemer, a Brasilian order,a Montenegrin one, a Great Cross of the Legion de Honneur, at least 6 Russian orders or crosses, even two Serbian orders, 

[laurentius]

18 hours ago, BlackcowboyBS said:

If the grand cross is worn like this and it is the only worn grand cross like we see in the other photos above, then it is a kind of fashion statement. If this is influenced by the russian orders or even by Napoleon, who often could be seen with his grand croos just lurking from his jacket and there is just one short pice of the sash to be seen, is unclear yet.

I don't think this was inspired by Napoleon for two reasons. Firstly we have the time this custom was not used. Napoleon was removed from power in 1815 and died in 1821. The earliest examples of this 'short-sash-tradition' are from the 1860's. Secondly Wilhelm I, Archduke Albrecht etc. wear a small piece of sash hidden under their belt which makes me wonder if it is attached to the belt or to the uniform. Napoleon wore an entire sash, blocked from view by his uniform. Just like a sash is largely blocked from view when wearing it under your waistcoat or beneat your jacket. This method of under the uniform is the way Ernest I of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha wears it in the painting made by George Dawe made in 1819. He is the only person so far who later on wore a small piece of sash before the 1860's.

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

In the 18th century wearing a few sashes at the same time was a common practice, which did not always give a good visual output, especially when some sashes were worn through the left and the other through the right shoulder. So it soon came into practice that in case of lesser or foreign orders their insignia moved up and were worn (sometimes in reduced size) as neck decorations, without the accompanying stars.  

 

With the Russian orders of St. George, St. Vladimir and (partly) St. Anne a different practice was adopted. I am not sure if it was the first instance of such a manner of wearing in the world, however in 1797 Emperor Paul I issued a decree about Russian orders, which with some alterations survived until 1917. It was stated that the sashes of the above orders should be worn under the uniform tunic (except special occasions like order holidays), so that only the sash bow and order badge would be seen.

 

That was pretty easy to do with the short Prussian-style tunics and tailcoat-style tunics, but when they were replaced by longer frock-coat uniforms, the thing became quite difficult to accomplish. So they started using a waist slot through which the sash was drawn outside. I think most of the uniforms on the photos above has a slot like that, although some may utilize a more convenient way of a sash stripe attached directly to the tunic.

 

There are evidently earlier examples of that manner of wearing than from 1860s. Below there are Dawe's portraits of Kutuzov, Barcalay de Tolly and the Duke of Wellington from the Gallery of 1812 Year at the Winter Palace, with the order of St. George protruding from under their tunics. As it can be seen above, the way of showing only the end of a sash soon became popular in other countries as well, and not only with the Russian orders.

 

 

 

[91-old-inf-reg]

Here’s just a little addition I came across: