dress of the Duchess of Parma, together with a sketch 

 by a good local painter, which \'ecellio describes and 

 adds: 21 



Sotto costumano il vcrducato, ovrro faldiglia, qual 

 tien con arte la sottana larga a inodo di campana, che 

 torna molto commodo al caminare, 6 danzare: & hora 

 si costumano per tutta I'ltalia qucsta sopra delta 

 faldiglia. 



Thus, the bell-shaped farthingale (fig. 8) had by 

 1 590 become the general wear of the upper classes 

 in Italy, as it was already in Spain, France, and 

 England. 



Of even greater interest is the evidence of Vecellio's 

 relations with a fashion house in Venice. In his 

 general account of the housedresses of the noble ladies 

 of his time, he mentions the rich modern materials 

 and especially silk brocades of four and even of six 

 colors, admirably woven ; --' 



Di queste opcre si belle e stato in Wnctia auttore 

 M. Bartholomeo Bontem])clc dal Calice. il quale alle 

 volte con le mostie, ch" egli fa di qucsti drappi dc' quali lui 

 e stato inventore, mostra la grandczza dell'ingegno suo, 

 la quale e accompagnata da una incoinparabile liberalita. 

 e bonta.per ilche e mohoaniato dalla nobilta \'enetiana, 

 & da molti Principi d'ltalia & in specie dal Serenissimo 

 Duca di Mantova. Nellasua buttiga dove molti Signori 

 e Principi mandano a fornirsi, & fino al serraglio del 

 Gran Turco, si veggono broccati a opera di tutte le 

 sorte d'oro e di argento. 



It may seem strange that within 20 years of the 

 Battle of Lepanto (1571) Venetian fabrics were ex- 

 ported from Bontempele's sign of '"The Chalice" to 

 Constantinople to compete with the noted velvets of 

 Brusa. After describing the clothes of the best dressed 

 merchants, \'ecellio does not hesitate to mention his 



" Translated, this reads: "Underneath, the habit of the 

 ladies [who imitate the Duchess] is to wear the farthingale or 

 pleated frock, which skillfully holds the petticoat out wide like 

 a bell. This fashion is extremely convenient for walking or 

 dancing, and nowadays, ladies throughout all Italy wear this 

 pleated frock mentioned above." (1590 ed., folio 187.a.) 



'- Translated, this reads: "The originator of these beautiful 

 f.ibrics in Venice is Master Bartholomew Bontempele at the 

 sign of the 'Chalice.' From time to time at exhibitions he 

 makes of these materials he has created, he shows the greatness 

 of his intellect, which is accompanied by an incomparable 

 generosity and kindness for which he is greatly loved by the 

 Venetian nobility, by many princes of Italy, and in particular 

 by his Serene Highness the Duke of Mantua. In his store, 

 to which many gentlemen and princes send orders, even the 

 Seraglio of the Grand Turk, are to be seen brocades worked 

 in all manners of gold and silver." (1590 ed., folio 139.) 



friends Master Paolo, spice merchant and vendor of 

 the celebrated TImiakon (known in England as Venice 

 treacle), of the sign of "The Ostrich," and Bernadino 

 Pillotto, seller of pictures and other ornaments. 



At this time there were also woodcuts illustrating 

 hairstyles. The exact date of Christoph Krieger's 

 ]'arie Acconciature di Teste (fig. 10) is not known. 

 While Vecellio had remarked that the Venetian ladies 

 were imitating the goddess Diana and surmounting 

 their tresses with two little curls like horns, Krieger 

 made illustrations that were even more fanciful. Each 

 lady bears the name of a city and a distinguishing 

 quality or temperament, but there is no more reason 

 to connect the stvles with local fashions than to believe 



Figure 10. — F.ashion plate depicting fanciful hair 

 style of a lady from Ferrara, by CUiristoph Krieger. 

 From Varie acconciature di teste, ca. 1590. (Courtesy 

 of Victoria & Albert Museum. London.) 



74 



BULLETIN 250 : CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 



