Dräkter från tv-serien Game of Thrones som visades i utställningen Maktspel
Foto: Erik Lernestål, Livrustkammaren/SHM (CC BY-SA 3.0).

March 14, 2014 – January 6, 2015

POWER PLAY – a costume drama in The Royal Armory

What does the Swedish 16th century regent Erik XIV have in common with the film's Elisabeth I and the fantasy king Joffrey Baratheon from the TV series Game of Thrones? In the exhibition POWER PLAY – a costume drama in The Royal Armory, historical and fictional characters met.

Game of Thrones (HBO) is one of the most appreciated television series of recent years. It takes place in a fantasy world inspired by clothes, environments, and events from several centuries and geographical locations. The Oscar-winning films Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age are fiction created in and for our time but are based on real events in the life of Queen Elizabeth I of England. Erik XIV's life story is surrounded by drama and myths. He was considered insane, married his mistress and had his enemies brutally murdered. Sometimes reality surpasses fiction.

The costumes from Game of Thrones

The costumes worn by the characters in Game of Thrones bear references to both the Renaissance and modern science fiction. Elizabeth's white Swarovski dress from Elizabeth: The Golden Age has no historical model but is created to reinforce the image of a confident queen.

"When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die."

– Cersei Lannister, Game of Thrones

Utställningslokalen med dräkter

History highlights

The costumes from from the series were shown for the first time in Sweden and were presented thematically together with historical highlights. Erik XIV's coronation mantle and the costume his rival Erik Sture wore when he was murdered on the orders of Erik XIV are some of the few preserved 16th century garments in the world.

Hall of fun

At the end of the exhibition, there was a room for visitors' own desire to discover. Here, the visitor could, among other things, create their own historical "selfie" by trying on costumes and accessories. A number of unique works created by students from Konstfack (University of Arts, Crafts and Design) explored how textiles and clothing can communicate power and status.

You may also be interested in:

The Exhibition on Sweden's Royal History

Visit the exhibition

The Children’s Armoury

Discover and have fun in our exhibition for kids.