Bronzino Dress Diary

My current Renaissance gown is based on Florentine 1560s gowns, in particular those pained by Bronzino. After this heat is over I want to fix it up and possibly make another one with fabric overloading my attic.

Initially I'd like to make a coverciere (related to the English partlet) using the the gown worn by Eleanor of Toledo as my inspiration. This partlet is made of cords tied in a net-like fashion, then beaded.

Agnolo Bronzino: Portrait de la duchesse Eleonore
Galerie Narodni, Prague

The sketch below is from the Janet Arnold Book, Patterns of Fashion, 1560 - 1620 which I am using as the basis of my research.

Eleonora of Toledo with her son Giovanni de' Medici
Agnolo Bronzino, 1550:Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

My 4-panel sleeves are seen in the extant dress above, Eleanor and her Son. The Florentine sumptuary law of 1439 limited trim and embroidery to only be on the sleeves of an outfit. Sleeves were highly decorative, so I have used gold beads to join them at regular intervals and still allow the chemise to show through. I'll be adding trim used on the bodice to edge all the panels.