The Symbolism in the Coronation Robes Worn by Emperor Pedro II

Dom Pedro II's coronation robes followed all the 19th-century rules of symbolism to the letter. Rodrigues, in his work for the Imperial Museum catalog, referred to the inspiration taken from the costumes that a Renaissance cavalier would have worn to court ceremonies.

Freesz believes that the robes chosen by Dom Pedro II were more inspired by those worn in the 17th century, especially the style adopted by King Charles II of England.

Freesz also points to the similarity in the embroidery pattern on his robes—oak leaves and acorns—to those found on the coronation mantle worn by his maternal grandfather, Emperor Francis I of Austria.

This was evidence that the family's Austrian heritage would continue in the newly created Empire of Brazil.

As far as the materials used in Dom Pedro II's coronation robes are concerned, the fashion rules for the nobility were followed to the letter, with velvet, silk, and gold thread being used in the robes, and gold and precious stones in the royal insignia. These fine fabrics for his clothes, and precious metals to show the wealth of the lands governed by the boy emperor, marked a sharp contrast to the monarch's own personality, given that he was known for his simplicity in daily life.

Formal dress used by d. Pedro II at his coronation, on july 18 1841 and, subsequently, on the solemn opening and closing of the brazilian parliament.
According to publications of that period, it was called the “knights´ garment” and was made up of the following parts: white jacket made of satin that extended down to the knees; a tie of french lace; maniple; ribbon with a bowknot of the same material as the jacket; breeches of white silk, shoes of white satin, knights´ hat. Over these clothes the imperial symbols: magestic robe made of velvet; cape made from tucan throat feathers, also used by d. Pedro I; imperial crown; imperial sceptre; cruzeiro sword; gloves; decorations, such as the grand-cross of the order of the rose and the imperial order of the cruzeiro. The clothing was inspired by that used by the french court on royal solemnities, as represented by François Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659-1743) in his painting “Portrait of Luis XVI”. D. Pedro II´s formal dress bears a touch of romanticism and is of great distinction and elegance. It causes admiration because of the quality of the cloths used and the perfection of the embroidery, as well as the value of the precious stones and by the richness of the decoration.

Gloves
Material: Silk and gold thread

Gloves with the arms of the brazilian empire embroidered with gold

His pallium is bright orange-yellow in color and features breast feathers from a toucan—a common bird in Brazil—illustrating both the country's natural wealth and its exoticism in using bird feathers to make garments.

Cape
Materiais: Toucan feather (ramphastos vitellinus ariel Vigors), Silk satin beige and dark green

Collar in the shape of a short cape, opened to the breast and so could be put on over the head. Made using the “strips” technique where each crop is stiched onto the other in overlapping horizontal rows until reaching the lower border, thus forming segments with a textile base. Linning made of silk, coloured beige, reinforced with dark green silk. Neckline with a hem containing a ribbon, the ends of which serve to attach the collar to the neck.

The color white appeared again in the cavalier hat that Dom Pedro II wore to enter the Imperial Chapel for his coronation ceremony.

Hat
Material: White velvet embroidered in gold

White velvet hat embroidered with gold thread. Front rim raised, round crown circled by acorns and oak leaves intemingled within a circular space with oak twigs and leaves in the central superior part; band that joins the crown with the rim has gold embroidered oak twigs.

Some of the orders adopted by Dom Pedro II for his robes included the Imperial Order of the Cross

Imperial Order of the Cruise (band)
Material: Carved gold and enamel

Hanging insignia circled by rosettes on sky-blue cloth, in the shape of a five point white bifurcated star of gold; headed by the imperial crown also of gold. The whole is surrounded by a crown made up of enamelled tobacco and coffe leaves bordered by gold in the centre of the disk. On the obverse of the disk, sky-blue field with the latin cross made up of 19 white stars. Navy blue surround with legend in polished gold: BENEMMERENTIUM PRAEMIUM. On the reverse in a gold field, on the left side the image of d. Pedro I. Navy blue surround with gold legend: PETRUS I BRASILIAE IMPERATOR.

And the Order of the Rose, created by Dom Pedro I to celebrate his marriage to Amélie of Leuchtenberg, stepmother to Dom Pedro II.

Order of Rose
Material: Carved gold and enamel

Chain of gold consisting of 15 roses foliated in their colour and the same number of small scutcheons of the same metal with the initials PA (interlinked) and placed alternatively. From the collar hangs the insignia corresponding to the class of grand-cross in the shape of a six-pointed star of gold, headed by the imperial crown also of gold. The star is surrounded by a garland made up of 18 small enamelled roses in their colour and in the centre of the disk. On the obverse of the disk, in a gold field the initials pa interwoven; skirting around in dark blue the legend in gold: "amor e fidelidade" (love and faithfulness). On the reverse side, engraved in gold, the date 02/08/1829, set out in the shape of a cross (it refers to the marriage date); surrounding in navy blue the words in gold: Pedro and Amelia.

Last but not least is the crown: the greatest symbol of royal power. It is impossible to imagine a king without a crown. Whether it is simple, like the ancient crowns of laurel leaves used in the Roman Empire, or lavish like the crown worn by Charlemagne, the crown is the very insignia of royal dignity. It is the crown that endows the king with his sacred character and supernatural power.

The crown used by Dom Pedro II was made especially for the young monarch. The piece had to be as new as the reign that was just beginning...

...but, although new, jewels and pearls from his father's crown were incorporated into its design, maintaining a hereditary link in the crown jewels.

Crown
Material: Gold, silver, brilliants, pearls, velvet and satin

Crown in chiselled yellow and green gold. Wide oval shaped belt, on the lower side, two friezes in the shape of laurel leaves. Between the friezes a string of cultured pearls. On the higher side a garland of 16 points and below this another frieze identical with that of the base. Below each point of the garland a diamond set in silver. In the same direction of the points of the garland, a sprinkle of diamonds and, on the principal axis of the crown, the sprinkle is made up of a larger retangular stone surrounded by smaller stones. Each sprinkle (of diamonds) is surrounded by the same frieze of laurel leaves as that surrounding the belt. On the extremities of the garlands, placed alternatively, triófilos in green gold finished with a knot and within each one a rosette made up of different size diamonds. From each of these arrangements rises a stalk with the following characteristics: polished gold in the shape of shoots and, on the extremity, laurel leaves; in the centre of each shoot, a line of diamonds mounted on silver. On the top side of the crown a globe of polished gold girded by a chiselled edging, set with diamonds, from which rises a semi-circle of a similar shape. A gold chiselled flower ornament supports the sphere. On the top of the circle the Cross of Christ set with diamonds. Original linning of dark green velvet padded with white satin.