Hi Michaela-- Right now I'm writing a book on Cosimo and Eleonora. (P579 and counting... ) so I have tons of information from really obscure sources. The "Moda" book has a LOT of new info. Some of the other info comes from my correspondance back in the 1990s with Janet Arnold about Eleonora's grave clothes. The possible smock she spoke of was not sleeveless, but having embroidered sleeves, the burial gown (which was called a "petticoat", actually) did not have the split sleeves that you see in the 1545 Bronzino portrait.. Monica
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of michaela Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 9:02 PM To: Historical Costume Subject: Re: [h-cost] Eleanor of Toledo 1545 help > The red velvet pair of bodies was lines with (believe it or not) paper. It > had no bones. You could probably substitute a hair canvas or a type of > buckram that does not react to heat/ sweat. It was not made for the gown she > was buried in-- it was too big and had a different waistline. Is this some new information? I know in Patterns of Fashion there is mention that the edges are oversewn and there is a scrap of linen at the bottom that could be a lining or facing. PoF does mention that there were more satin finds in 1986 which helped in determining skirt layout, so it wouldn't surprise me if further examination revealed more. > If you look at the text of Janet Arnold's book she says something about the > velvet bodice overlapping in the front. Eleonora had been suffering from TB > on and off, getting progressively worse , since 1549/ 50 until her death. In > the early stages she wore a taffeta covered steel corset (not recommended > for the modern woman). Again I'm curious about this. Is this mentioend in the new Moda di Firenze book as well? Would this have been for medicinal reasons? Faure did recommend splinting body parts with metal for certain diseases. A definite link between Eleanora's wasting disease (as it would probably have been called) and needing a metal corset would help in this area of research. > Janet Arnold did the preliminary work on the gown, but died prior to this > new book being released. Her theory was the gown probably had an embroidered > smock and no sleeves. She also theorized that Eleonora probably wore a > farthingale, because she was Spanish. The waistline of her gown was more > rounded than the Elizabethan style of 1575, and had a different silhouette > then the Eleonora gown from the Bronzino painting, which was 30 years > earlier. And I'm curious yet again;) Sorry, but I do not have the Moda di Firenze book nor do I have access to any of Arnold's articles in various costume jourals. A sleeveless smock is an option several people having been thinking about for various types of costume from the 16thC, and indeed I'm thinking of making one myself. Michaela de Bruce http://glittersweet.com -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.392 / Virus Database: 268.5.5/334 - Release Date: 8/05/2006 _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
