Countess Palatine Susanna

The Countess Palatine Susanna (1502-1543) appears on the tapestry on a par with the two sovereigns of the Young Palatinate.

The Countess Palatine presents herself in a magnificent red and silver gown embroidered with pearls. Over a blouse with a gold-embroidered collar, she wears a bodice laced below the breast with wide-slit long sleeves. The narrow skirt, which falls to the floor in an elaborate pleated fashion, is covered with a tendril pattern knitted from metallic thread. The hair is covered by a sumptuous bonnet on which a flat hat is placed.

Countess Palatine Susanna appears reserved, her hands are clasped together in a gesture of fidelity. This gesture of passivity is often found in engagement portraits or portraits of married couples in the 16th century. The repeated motif of intertwined rings on her décolleté and the pearl trimming on her breast formed by the ligatured letters "OH" refer to the ideal of a relationship marked by marital devotion to Ottheinrich (1502-1559, reigned from 1522).

The wedding took place on 18 October 1529. This is the time when the large-scale reconstruction and rebuilding of the residential palace in Neuburg begins. The laurel-wreathed initials "OHS" can be found in various places in the building. The bronze lattice of the palace portal, for example, is not easily overlooked by visitors arriving at the palace.

Ottheinrich and Susanna undertook numerous pilgrimages and a journey to the spa in order to bring about the hoped-for blessing of children, but to no avail. There is much to indicate a great affection between the couple, which was not a given at the time.