Marketing Renaissance Fashion: The Dress and Costume of Eleonora of Toledo with Her Son Giovanni by Bronzino

Description/Abstract/Artist Statement

Agnolo di Cosimo Mariano di Tori, better known as Bronzino, was a Florentine Mannerist painter. Although he often created works featuring religious subject matter, he was also known to be a remarkable portraitist. Employed as an official court painter, Bronzino was tasked to create state portraits for the influential Medici family. In 1545, he painted the first official state portrait of the duchess of Florence, Eleonora of Toledo with Her Son Giovanni. Scholarship surrounding the portrait primarily focuses on its function as political propaganda, Eleonora’s fecundity, her garment’s Spanish style motif, and the male child’s identity. Although most critiques include a detailed description of Eleonora’s attire, they omit any detailed discussion concerning the Spanish style design and its significance in relation to the Florentine textile industries. This paper fills the void in scholarship, arguing that for the first official state portrait, Eleonora of Toledo deliberately selected an elaborate Spanish style dress that was fabricated in the city of Florence. This was a purposeful action taken to market and promote the Florentine textile industries while simultaneously acknowledging her Spanish heritage. This research highlights the Medici family’s history with wool and silk fabrics and their roles as producers and merchants. An analysis of previous scholarship will provide information referencing the importance and significance of Eleonora’s court fashions within the context of the Florentine economy and textile industries, contemporary commentary, ducal enforced sumptuary laws, and the fashionable culture of Renaissance Florence.

Presenting Author Name/s

Danielle Brown

Faculty Advisor/Mentor

Dr. Anne H. Muraoka

Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department

Art Department

College Affiliation

College of Arts & Letters

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Disciplines

Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture

Session Title

Art History Session 1 - Women and Art: Critical Re-Assessments

Location

Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1306

Start Date

3-30-2024 9:30 AM

End Date

3-30-2024 10:30 AM

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Mar 30th, 9:30 AM Mar 30th, 10:30 AM

Marketing Renaissance Fashion: The Dress and Costume of Eleonora of Toledo with Her Son Giovanni by Bronzino

Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1306

Agnolo di Cosimo Mariano di Tori, better known as Bronzino, was a Florentine Mannerist painter. Although he often created works featuring religious subject matter, he was also known to be a remarkable portraitist. Employed as an official court painter, Bronzino was tasked to create state portraits for the influential Medici family. In 1545, he painted the first official state portrait of the duchess of Florence, Eleonora of Toledo with Her Son Giovanni. Scholarship surrounding the portrait primarily focuses on its function as political propaganda, Eleonora’s fecundity, her garment’s Spanish style motif, and the male child’s identity. Although most critiques include a detailed description of Eleonora’s attire, they omit any detailed discussion concerning the Spanish style design and its significance in relation to the Florentine textile industries. This paper fills the void in scholarship, arguing that for the first official state portrait, Eleonora of Toledo deliberately selected an elaborate Spanish style dress that was fabricated in the city of Florence. This was a purposeful action taken to market and promote the Florentine textile industries while simultaneously acknowledging her Spanish heritage. This research highlights the Medici family’s history with wool and silk fabrics and their roles as producers and merchants. An analysis of previous scholarship will provide information referencing the importance and significance of Eleonora’s court fashions within the context of the Florentine economy and textile industries, contemporary commentary, ducal enforced sumptuary laws, and the fashionable culture of Renaissance Florence.