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

1490s - VenetianVittore 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

1480-90s Florentine

Domenico Ghirlandaio: Resurrection of the Notary's Son

Domenico Ghirlandaio: Birth of the Virgin

1480-90s 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.

1500s VenetianVittore Carpaccio, 1505: Two Venetian Courtesans • Similar idea to 1490s

– 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

1500s Florentine• 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: The Woman with the Unicorn, 1505

Raphael, c1506: Portrait of Maddalena DoniUnusual in buttons down front and guards

1510s Venetian• 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: Portrait of a Woman Known as La Schiavona Titian, 1511: Miracle of

the Newborn Child

1510s Florentine• Bodice similar

to 1500s.• More guards

on dress• Variety of

sleeves from large drapey ones to much more fitted. Still some ‘wine bags’ around.

Andrea del Sarto: Birth of the Virgin, 1513

1520s Venetian• Transitional.• Bodices have ladder

laced front with ties.

• Tight highly decorated undersleeves and large hanging oversleeves. Others loose then tight

• Rise of the balzo

Palma Vecchio, 1520s: Woman In Blue

Anon, 1520s: Portrait of a Lady

Bernardino Licinio, 1520s: Portrait of a Lady

Paris Bordone, 1520s: Venetian Lovers

1520s Florentine• Transitional• Waistlines move up• Early 1520s is a

continuation of 1510s fashion

• 1525 onwards moves into the style common in 1530s – similar to later 1520s Venetian

Bacchiacca, c 1520: The Preaching of St John the Baptist

Domenico Puligo, c 1520s: Portrait of a Lady

1530s Venetian• 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, 1533: Portrait Of A Woman Bernadino Licinio,

1530s: Portrait of a Lady

1530s Florentine• High waisted

bodice – under bust.

• Two part sleeves – top half to elbow puffy, rest straight.

• High necked chemise

• Balzos!! But only small..

Ridolfo Ghirlandaio: Lucrezia Sommaria, 1530-1532

Agnolo Bronzino: A Daughter of Matteo Sofferoni, 1530-1532

1540s Venetian• 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

Unknown artist of the Venetian School, 1540s: Portrait of a Young Woman

Paris Bordone, 1545-50: Balia dei Medici

1540s Florentine• 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 of Lucrezia Pucci Panciatichi, 1540

Agnolo Bronzino: Portrait de la duchesse Eleonore

1550s Venetian• 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.

Cesare Vecellio, Costume of Venetian women, 1550

Titian, 1553: Portrait Of A Lady In White

1550s Florentine (more like 1545 on)• 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

Agnolo Bronzino: Eleonora of Toledo with her son Giovanni de' Medici, 1550?

Tommaso Manzuoli, Elena Gaddi Quaratesi, 1550-55

1550s and 1560s Florentine – rise of the overdress/gown

• 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

Florentine school, Eleanor of Toledo, 1557-8

Alessandro Allori, Isabella or Maria de Medici, 1555-8

1560s Venetian

• 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.

Veronese, 1561: Detail from fresco Follower of Titian, 1560:

Emilia di Spilimbergo

1560s Florentine• Similar to 1550s.• Some bodices

lower still• One piece sleeve

which has 4 rows of braid down length of sleeves with cuttes in between.

• Distinctive braid placement

Jacopo Zucchi, Portait of a Woman, 1560-1565

Red dress from Pisa.

Other 1560s 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?

1570s Venetian

• Similarities to 1560s but front lacing becomes wider

• Towards the end of the decade waistlines drop and standing collars become more common

Francesco Montemezzano, c1570s: Portrait of a Woman (possibly Picabella Pagliarani, wife of Giacomo Ragazzoni)

Andrea Michiel (Il Vicentino), 1574: Detail - Henry III Arriving at the Lido

1570s Florentine• Very similar to

1560s overgown combos

• Developing a liking for ‘clown collars’

• Doublet or sottana underneath

Workshop of Allori, Women of the Cini Family, 1577

Allori, Woman with dog, 1570?

1580s Venetian• Bodices sitting

lower at bust and torso

• Shoulder ruffs become more common

• Standing collars still popularDomenico Robusti, 1581-84:

Portrait of a Lady in White

Domenico Robusti, c1580s: Portrait of a Gentlewoman with her Daughter

1580s Florentine• Hanging over

sleeves become popular

• Undersleeves often white with gold trim

Allori, Bianca Cappello, 1580?

Allori, Portrait of a Woman, 1580s

Good website to view:

• Realm of Venus: http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net.

For all Venetian and Florentine up to 1540• Festive Attyre:http://festiveattyre.comFor Florentine 1490-1550• Anea Fileshttp://aneafiles.webs.com/renaissancegallery/tuscany.htmlFor Florentine but sadly pics are not captioned!!

• Purple Files:http://katerina.purplefiles.netTHL Katerina de Brescia’s website. Good articles• Mode historique:http://www.modehistorique.com/blog/?page_id=179Some 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