Florentine Studies

Here you'll find handouts from the various classes I've taught relating to fifteenth century Florence at the University of Atlantia and at the Pennsic War. Click on the titles of the classes to download the documents.

• Clothing in Quattrocento Florence (2,283K PDF): Clothing in fifteenth century Florence was not merely a personal necessity; it was also a political and statement. Learn what sorts of garments were worn, by both men and women, in various social situations. We'll also talk about what types of fabric were available, methods and styles of embellishment, and accessories.

• Daily Life in Quattrocento Florence (120K PDF): Learn what life was like during the fifteenth century in Florence, Italy. The city was a center of the new intellectual and artistic movements of the Renaissance, as well as home to political maneuverings and conspiracies galore. We'll talk about the city government, commerce and education, plus aspects of material culture such as clothing, food and other possessions.

• Italian Renaissance Headgear (1,486K PDF): Ghirlande, cuffie, balzi, oh my! We'll talk about these three types of 15th century Italian headgear, look at examples and discuss some techniques for making them. We will also cover what times and places they were worn and what clothing goes with them.

• Florentine Clothing of the Late 15th Century, As Seen in the Tornabuoni Chapel Frescoes (0K PDF): These famous works by Domenico Ghirlandaio portray many contemporary figures wearing fashionable clothing of their day. We will take a look at some slides of these frescoes and discuss the clothing depicted. We'll cover basic garments, both men's and women's, accessories and embellishments. Limited handouts will be available.