Italian Renaissance Dress 1490 1580 Italian Renaissance Dress

Italian Renaissance Dress 1490 -1580

Italian Renaissance Dress? • The types of clothing worn by women in the city states and provinces of what is now considered Italy. • I have chosen to focus on Venetian and Florentine – good chronology of images due to wealth of cities and prominence of the artists operating at this point in time e. g. Raphael, Bronzino, Titian, Tintoretto etc • Have divided by decades which is very arbitrary but helps to provide an overview. Have not discussed variations of which there were many…

Layers of dress • • Chemise Undergown Often a partlet Overgown

1490 s - Venetian Vittore Carpaccio, 1495: Meeting of the Betrothed Couple (detail) Key features: - High waisted – sits under bust - Under dress and over dress – with the overdress cut into a V at the front so the underdress is visible underneath. Some have a V at the back as well. - Bodice sits on edge of shoulder or even off shoulder (see Durer image) - Two part sleeves. Bottom half may be cut open in places to allow the chemise to ooze through. Chemise also visible at shoulder and elbow. Laced in place. Some one part ones as well - Hair – big knot on top of head

1480 -90 s Florentine Domenico Ghirlandaio: Resurrection of the Notary's Son Domenico Ghirlandaio: Birth of the Virgin

1480 -90 s Florentine continued • Underdress is laced at the front with either a version of ladder lacing or cross-laced. Is often seen worn by itself (or two dresses of a similar style are worn. ) • Bodice slightly lower than Venetian – natural waist • The overdress layer can be either quite loose or even open down the sides or fitted to the bodice area. • Varieties of sleeves – two part, one part with gap at elbow etc • Hair – bun at back and loose curls around the ears popular. Some caps worn around head. • Some have sheer partlets around neck that come to a point at the front over dress.

1500 s Venetian Vittore Carpaccio, 1505: Two Venetian Courtesans • Similar idea to 1490 s – high waisted. • One part sleeves open down outside laced at some points to show off chemise. • Variation of colour between bodice and skirt. Vittore Carpaccio, 1502 - 07: The Departure of Ceyx

1500 s Florentine Raphael: The Woman with the Unicorn, 1505 • Bodice sits on natural waist line • Use of guards – often look to be velvet. • ‘Wine bag’ sleeves • Sheer partlet around shoulders – pinned over dress. • Hair in hairnet hanging down back Raphael, c 1506: Portrait of Maddalena Doni Unusual in buttons down front and guards

1510 s Venetian Titian, 1511: Portrait of a Woman Known as La Schiavona • Waist has dropped to natural waist level • Large sleeves – some gather back in at wrist, others are open. Split the entire length of arm • Scuffia – hair ‘bag’ often seen Titian, 1511: Miracle of the Newborn Child

1510 s Florentine Andrea del Sarto: Birth of the Virgin, 1513 • Bodice similar to 1500 s. • More guards on dress • Variety of sleeves from large drapey ones to much more fitted. Still some ‘wine bags’ around.

1520 s Venetian Palma Vecchio, 1520 s: Woman In Blue • Transitional. • Bodices have ladder laced front with ties. • Tight highly decorated undersleeves and large hanging oversleeves. Others loose then tight • Rise of the balzo Anon, 1520 s: Portrait of a Lady Bernardino Licinio, 1520 s: Portrait of a Lady Paris Bordone, 1520 s: Venetian Lovers

1520 s Florentine Bacchiacca, c 1520: The Preaching of St John the Baptist • Transitional • Waistlines move up • Early 1520 s is a continuation of 1510 s fashion • 1525 onwards moves into the style common in 1530 s – similar to later 1520 s Venetian Domenico Puligo, c 1520 s: Portrait of a Lady

1530 s Venetian Bernadino Licinio, 1533: Portrait Of A Woman • Bodices become much more rigid. • Sleeves – puffy top section – rest straight. • Partlets worn over shoulders. • Some front laced. • Change later (? ) to much slimmer sleeves – vestigial puff tops. • More front lacing. Bernadino Licinio, 1530 s: Portrait of a Lady

1530 s Florentine Ridolfo Ghirlandaio: Lucrezia Sommaria, 1530 -1532 • High waisted bodice – under bust. • Two part sleeves – top half to elbow puffy, rest straight. • High necked chemise • Balzos!! But only small. . Agnolo Bronzino: A Daughter of Matteo Sofferoni, 1530 -1532

1540 s Venetian Unknown artist of the Venetian School, 1540 s: Portrait of a Young Woman • Bodice much more rigid and starts to finish further down the torso. • Some front laced others not! • Sleeves often straight, some puffs at top, some slashed. • Partlets around neck, open at front Paris Bordone, 1545 -50: Balia dei Medici

1540 s Florentine Agnolo Bronzino: Portrait of Lucrezia Pucci Panciatichi, 1540 • Bodices become rigid and much longer. • Sleeves – gathered puffs at top, rest straight and decorated with slashes. • Partlet around neck. • Move to Eleanor of Toledo dress towards end of decade Agnolo Bronzino: Portrait de la duchesse Eleonore

1550 s Venetian Cesare Vecellio, Costume of Venetian women, 1550 • Bodice forms a point at the front (sometimes back? ) • Some front laced • Sleeves often a small panelled cap at the top with tight lower sleeve • Partlet around neck – open at front. Titian, 1553: Portrait Of A Lady In White

1550 s Florentine (more like 1545 on) Agnolo Bronzino: Eleonora of Toledo with her son Giovanni de' Medici, 1550? • Bodice sits lower on body • Sleeves – 4 panelled joined together with buttons with fold at top. Or just with puff at top and braid spiralled down arm • Hairnets – gold net. • Partlet over shoulders Tommaso Manzuoli, Elena Gaddi Quaratesi, 1550 -55

1550 s and 1560 s Florentine – rise of the overdress/gown Florentine school, Eleanor of Toledo, 1557 -8 • Could be fitted or loose. • Worn with a sottana (petticoat bodies) or sometimes a doublet underneath • The loose variety often had long sleeves with the fitted versions had cap sleeves with the undergown or doublet sleeves underneath Alessandro Allori, Isabella or Maria de Medici, 15558

1560 s Venetian Veronese, 1561: Detail from fresco • Still variations between front lacing and not. • Start to see loose gowns appearing some with sleeves, some without • Hair in bun at back of head sometimes with plaits. Follower of Titian, 1560: Emilia di Spilimbergo

1560 s Florentine Jacopo Zucchi, Portait of a Woman, 1560 -1565 • Similar to 1550 s. • Some bodices lower still • One piece sleeve which has 4 rows of braid down length of sleeves with cuttes in between. • Distinctive braid placement Red dress from Pisa.

Other 1560 s Florentine overgowns • A fondness for high standing collars • Usually worn over a sottana • See a number with puffy sleeves Allori, Maria de’ Medici? , 1560? Florentine school, Portrait of a Woman, 1560?

1570 s Venetian Francesco Montemezzano, c 1570 s: Portrait of a Woman (possibly Picabella Pagliarani, wife of Giacomo Ragazzoni) • Similarities to 1560 s but front lacing becomes wider • Towards the end of the decade waistlines drop and standing collars become more common Andrea Michiel (Il Vicentino), 1574: Detail Henry III Arriving at the Lido

1570 s Florentine Workshop of Allori, Women of the Cini Family, 1577 • Very similar to 1560 s overgown combos • Developing a liking for ‘clown collars’ • Doublet or sottana underneath Allori, Woman with dog, 1570?

1580 s Venetian Domenico Robusti, 1581 -84: Portrait of a Lady in White • Bodices sitting lower at bust and torso • Shoulder ruffs become more common • Standing collars still popular Domenico Robusti, c 1580 s: Portrait of a Gentlewoman with her Daughter

1580 s Florentine • Hanging over sleeves become popular • Undersleeves often white with gold trim Allori, Portrait of a Woman, 1580 s Allori, Bianca Cappello, 1580?

Good website to view: • Realm of Venus: http: //realmofvenus. renaissanceitaly. net. For all Venetian and Florentine up to 1540 • Festive Attyre: http: //festiveattyre. com For Florentine 1490 -1550 • Anea Files http: //aneafiles. webs. com/renaissancegallery/tusc any. html For Florentine but sadly pics are not captioned!!

• Purple Files: http: //katerina. purplefiles. net THL Katerina de Brescia’s website. Good articles • Mode historique: http: //www. modehistorique. com/blog/? page_i d=179 Some lovely Italian gowns

Fabrics to look out for • • • Velveteens Brocades – try Spotlight Silks – if you are lucky! Canvas for interlining – try Kutwells Lining – calico or linen