I wonder if I've made an interesting discovery, or if I'm just seeing things I want to see ( Read more... )

In the 1990s the general public became increasingly interested in portraits from the past. Parallel with this researchers has devoted more of their time to portraits - who the sitters are, what the portraits tell, what context they were painted in. Norway, being at the outer edge of Europe, and also being the poor part of a union (first with ( Read more... )

Next "cash flow" I will start working on the Roman styled dress I've planned to make for some 3 years. The cardboard linen for bodice stiffening has been sitting in my closet for two years, and every time I see it I am reminded of the project. But I want a nice black velvet or wool, and and I need a couple of meters, and for that I need money ( Read more... )

In Italy, as everywhere else, different styles lived side by side. But the main garment for women of the 16th century was the sottana, the dress. It could be worn on its own, or under an overdress. Various items could also be worn underneath ( Read more... )

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Finally got around to update my website today. Because I know there are many of my LJ friends taking interest in the crimson Pisa dress and the similar funeral dress of Eleonora di Toledo, I wanted to share some Florentine portraits I recently found, depicting similar style of dress. There are many more than those posted underneath, but I tried to ( Read more... )

This is one of the nicest unknown portraits I've seen in a while. I especially love the shape of the bodice, giving room for the bust and the belly. But the trim and the veil is also gorgeous. I really, really want to see it in colours!


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In November 2010 I wrote a blog entry about 16th century fashion in Italy ( Read more... )

Just a collection of paintings showing the odd partlets seen in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna (Bologna, Ferrara, Parma), and partly in mainland Venice (Brescia), in the mid 16th century. They were made with all kinds of fabrics and techniques; what they have in common is the pointed shape, as well as being attached where the bodice meets the ( Read more... )

Y'all know Tiziano's "La Bella"? Pretty lady with blonde hair and dark eye brows, in a muddled dress with square neckline? Yes?

It's been restored. Or rather cleaned. And it glows.


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