1. Italian Renaissance Dress

2. 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…

3. Layers of dress
Chemise
Undergown
Often a partlet
Overgown

4. 1490s - 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

5. s Florentine
Domenico Ghirlandaio: Resurrection of the Notary's Son
Domenico Ghirlandaio: Birth of the Virgin

6. 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.

7. 1500s Venetian Vittore 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, : The Departure of Ceyx

8. 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 Doni
Unusual in buttons down front and guards

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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
Bernardino Licinio, 1520s: Portrait of a Lady
Anon, 1520s: Portrait of a Lady
Paris Bordone, 1520s: Venetian Lovers

12. 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
Domenico Puligo, c 1520s: Portrait of a Lady
Bacchiacca, c 1520: The Preaching of St John the Baptist

13. 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

14. 1530s Florentine 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,
Ridolfo Ghirlandaio: Lucrezia Sommaria,

15. 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, : Balia dei Medici

16. 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

17. 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.
Titian, 1553: Portrait Of A Lady In White
Cesare Vecellio, Costume of Venetian women, 1550

18. 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,

19. 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
Alessandro Allori, Isabella or Maria de Medici,
Florentine school, Eleanor of Toledo,

20. 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

21. 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,
Red dress from Pisa.

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

23. 1570s Venetian Similarities to 1560s 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
Francesco Montemezzano, c1570s: Portrait of a Woman (possibly Picabella Pagliarani, wife of Giacomo Ragazzoni)

24. 1570s Florentine Very similar to 1560s overgown combos
Developing a liking for ‘clown collars’
Doublet or sottana underneath
Allori, Woman with dog, 1570?
Workshop of Allori, Women of the Cini Family, 1577

25. 1580s Venetian Bodices sitting lower at bust and torso
Shoulder ruffs become more common
Standing collars still popular
Domenico Robusti, c1580s: Portrait of a Gentlewoman with her Daughter 
Domenico Robusti, : Portrait of a Lady in White

26. 1580s Florentine Hanging over sleeves become popular
Undersleeves often white with gold trim
Allori, Portrait of a Woman, 1580s
Allori, Bianca Cappello, 1580?

27. Good website to view:
Realm of Venus:
For all Venetian and Florentine up to 1540
Festive Attyre:
For Florentine
Anea Files
For Florentine but sadly pics are not captioned!!

28. Purple Files:
THL Katerina de Brescia’s website. Good articles
Mode historique:
Some lovely Italian gowns

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