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Analysing
the Style in the Carpaccio Era:
Pre 1500 - 1510
The
Layers and Basic Construction
The layers during this
period were:
1. Shift (Camicia)
2.
Under-dress
3. Over-dress
4. Mantle for cold weather
(Mantello)
5. Accessories
 1.
Shift
(Camicia): During
this period the camicia isn't seen at the neckline. Instead, much of
it shows at the shoulder poufing out between the tie-on sleeves and
bodice, and at the elbows and elsewhere on the sleeves, poufing out
from openings, as well as a little at the wrist. The painting by
Carpaccio at left shows the fullness of the chemise poufing out
between sleeve and bodice and also through the opening at the back
of the arm. On the right is the only reliable image I know of that
shows the camicia of this period. It is difficult to determine if
what we are seeing is the front or the back of the camicia, but it
appears to be the back. The front would probably show a neckline
that is wide, and it is reasonably full in the sleeves, which also
had to be extra-long.
 2.
Under-dress:
Can be seen where painting depicts a
woman at home. During this time it is rare to find this in
non-religious/non-allegorical art, but I believe the ladies in
Carpaccio's painting (seen on the left) are wearing the under-dress
of the time. These were dresses with a low, scooped, shallow U
shaped neckline that goes from point of shoulder to point of
shoulder. The lady at the top of the painting is wearing a dark
green dress which is just visible at the bodice, hemline and at the
back. The dress is covered in front by a gold apron. The bodice is
trimmed in gold, and her sleeves are also gold. The underdress skirt
looks to be gathered or finely pleated into the bodice, and there
seems to be extra fullness at the back of her dress, which might
indicate that ladies preferred that most of the fullness of their
skirts be in the back.
Some under-dress necklines/bodices
re-drawn from sources:
 
 3. Over-dress
(Veste or Vestito).
There appears to have been two types of over-dress -
one with integrated or sewn-in sleeves, and one without. In the
Carpaccio painting at left can be seen the style of over-dress
without integrated sleeves. When this style is worn, sleeves usually
match what we can see of the under-dress, as in this example where
the black sleeves match the black bodice of the under-dress, which
indicates that the over-dress is sleeveless. This is the more usual
style seen on younger/more fashionable ladies. It was an almost off
the shoulder, wide V-necked garment, which also dropped into a V
neckline at the back - this can be seen in Durer's drawing and
also on one of the ladies in Carpaccio's Miracle of the True Cross.
Usually full skirted, open at the front from the bottom of the
V-necked bodice to the hem, sometimes belted/buttoned under the
bust.
 On the right is a
painting featuring a couple of examples of the style of overdress
with integrated or sewn-in short sleeves. This style is usually seen
on what were perhaps older married ladies or trusted upper servants,
although it is also seen on youger ladies. In this painting, the
neckline of the lady in red echos the shape of the underdress but
with a deeper U shape - in this one the bodice shows no sign of a
front closure, but the fact that the dress is open below the bodice
would indicate that a front closure was present. It is also
possible, judging by the fact that these dresses are less snugly
fitted in the bodice, that these were meant to pull on over the
head. The lady in blue wears a dress that appears to have been meant
to be worn open at the front over the underdress. It is not clear
whether the skirt of her overdress opens below the waistline, but it
would make sense for an overdress to do so. The bodice covers more
of the shoulders than the V-necked style of overdress. At first both
these ladies appeared to have short integrated/sewn in sleeves, but
on closer inspection they can be seen to be long sleeves with
finestrella. In the case of the lady in red, the rest of
her sleeve can be seen hanging below her black undersleeve-clad
elbow. In the case of the lady in blue, she can be seen to be
wearing her hanging sleeve on her right arm, which is blue, while
her left arm is exposed throught the finestrella and shows
us that she wears a gold undersleeve. This style of overdress was
also belted under the bust in some cases.
Some re-drawn veste:
 
 
Both
styles of over-dress may have had trains, although so far I have
only found evidence for the train on the sleeveless veste. The lady
in the red vestito (above left) can be seen to be holding her train.
Likewise in this drawing by Durer, (left) who visitied Venice twice
during this period. His other drawing of a Venetian lady also shows
her holding the train of her dress. On the right is another image
that shows just how long the train could be. The lady is partly
hidden behind a Venetian nobleman, but the length of the train, as
well as the V neckline in the back of the bodice can be clearly
seen. An unusual feature are the hanging
sleeves.
 
4. Mantle (Mantello): A rectangular legth of fabric used for warmth. Seen here on
the left, it appears to be supported by a clasp which is attached to
a long cord wrapped around her neck, over her bust and possibly
attached to her belt, which is just visible on a large image. The
image on the right may actually show a semi-circular or circular
cloak - it is held across the upper chest by similar
cords.
5. Accessories
Decorative, coloured apron worn with underdress or overdress.
Also handkerchiefs, pearl necklaces, gold chains and bead necklaces,
and both indoor and outdoor shoes. Headwear* in the form of several
styles of scuffia (cap or bonnet), ghirlanda
(garland), reta (netted headdress or hair net) and the
velo/veletto da testa (veil). Hair worn down for young
unmarried virgins, worn up (braided) for newly married/married
women, false hair pieces worn.
*For more information on headwear and
hairstyles in this period see 1490s to 1510
from my article "A Crowning Glory: Hair Styles
and Headwear in 16th Century Venice, at Venus Adorned.
The Bust and Waistline
During this period the
waistline sat very high - directly under the bust. The breasts are
usually positioned quite high with cleavage visible on some ladies,
usually older married ladies. However, a lower, more natural bust
position is also seen, with some necklines being a little higher,
showing no cleavage. The underdress looks to have been gathered or
perhaps finely pleated into the bodice. The overdress shows folds
both above and below the waistline in some cases, but not in
others.
The
Sleeves
Snug fitting throughout this
period, consisting of an upper and lower section of sleeve.
Developing into a one part sleeve with a finestrella
('window' or slit in fabric, usually at the elbow), or one part
sleeve with shaped cut-out openings along the back of the arm. In
some cases the sleeves end at a point midway between the wrist and
mid lower arm, or just short of the wrist. Sleeves were often highly
decorated or made from figured fabrics, and usually matched the
underdress except in the case of the overdress with integrated
finestrella sleeves which matched the fabric of the
overdress.
 The
Closures
Underdress
closures are difficult to determine as they are rarely visible in
paintings, and squinting at low resolution enlargements and saying
"I think I can see the possibility of a lacing opening there..."
just doesn't cut it.We can deduce by the high waistline and lack of
visible closures that the closure was located at the back, but
Durer's drawing of a lady fails to show this, despite much other
detail. I tend to opt for the a double (or single) side closure as
more likely.
Overdresses: I
see these as open up the front, buttoned or belted at the front just
under the bust. Some appear to have smooth bodices, some appear to
have bodices with many folds going from the waistline up towards the
shoulders - this may indicate loose dresses fastened by a belt at
the waist. In the case of the Durer drawing here, as well as this
Durer drawing it
appears that large buttons continue down from the underbust for a
short length.
In the case of the integrated/sewn-in
sleeve overdress, these can also be deduced to have been open up the
front, and fastened with a belt. These look less fitted across the
bust, and therefore might be without closure (pull on over the
head). It is also possible that they are closed by means of side
lacing or either lace up or do up by means of hooks&eyes at the
front.
 The
Colours
Mid shades of red, green,
blue and gold. Also mid dusky blue, pink, orange, black and cream.
Plains dominate, but some figured fabrics can be seen, in the skirts
of underdresses usually, but there is also figured cloth of gold to
be seen on over-dresses and in one case on a mantello.
(Note: The least reliable thing about
paintings durings this period (as opposed to portraits later) is
that the colour composition tends to be determined by the style of
painting involved as well as the room they were destined for display
in. Venice had a tendency towards the use of light and colour, and
many of these paintings, whilst they depict people in everyday
clothes, were meant to be displayed in churches and other places
where the colour composition was determined by the surrounds, the
needs of the patron, as well as the school of painting.)
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