8.
Widows
Presented here with the
knowledge and full permission of the authors and publisher.
Forthcoming in Cesare
Vecellio's "Clothing, Ancient and Modern, of Various
Parts of the World", translated by Ann Rosalind Jones
and Margaret F.
Rosenthal, forthcoming from Thames and Hudson, London, in
Autumn 2008. Copyright
Ann Rosalind Jones and Margaret F. Rosenthal
Reproduction prohibited without
permission of the authors and the publisher.
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8. Widows
With the death of
their husbands, widows in Venice embrace the death of
all vanity and all bodily ornament. For in addition to
wearing black, they cover their hair, fasten a very
thick veil over their breast, wear their cappa [a
heavy veil of horizontally crimped silk or a silk and
wool blend] low on their foreheads, and go through the
streets sadly and with lowered heads. As long as they
want to remain widows, they wear a train and put on no
coloured clothing, until such time as they may want to
marry again. At home they wear a cap on their hair,
which covers it up. They always wear black, indoors and
out. But if they decide to marry again, they may wear
some jewelry without being blamed for it, though not of
striking appearance, and uncover their hair to some
degree, all of which serves to inform others of their
intention. This image of dress represents a very modest
noblewoman of the Contarini family.
© Ann
Rosalind Jones and Margaret F Rosenthal.
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9. Prostitutes In Public Places
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