The Borgias . . .

Lucrezia Borgia, one of my favorite Renaissance ladies, is on the cover of a beautiful book I received for Christmas.  The Borgia Chronicles, 1414-1572, by Mary Hollingsworth, speaks of not only Lucrezia's life but also that of her famous father, Pope Alexander VI, and her brother Cesare, as well as their ancestors and descendants.  Lucrezia, herself, is the ancestress of many of the current European royals, including Juan Carlos I of Spain, Albert II of Belgium, Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, as well as the Count of Paris and the claimants to the Thrones of the Bavaria, Brazil, Parma, Saxony and the Two Sicilies.  I'm looking forward to ordering through Netflix the recent Showtime series, The Borgias, starring Jeremy Irons.

The Palazzo Pitti

Eleonora di Toledo (see post of 12/2/11), who married Cosimo I de Medici in 1539, found the Palazzo Vecchio to be too small for their large brood of children.   So, with her own money, she bought the Pitti Palace on the south side of the Arno.  The Palace has since been expanded, of course, and today houses many galleries.  The Royal Apartments are well worth a visit, although are decorated in 19th century style, as the Palace was used by the members of the House of Savoy, who inherited the Duchy of Tuscany when the last Medici died with no heirs in the 18th century.

That Eleonora could buy the Pitti Palace is a remarkable event in several ways.  Cosimo chose his bride not only for her beauty but for her connections to the Spanish throne.  She was the daughter of  the Viceroy of Naples, which was controlled by Spain at the time.  In a reversal of the usual custom, Eleonora's father insisted Cosimo settle a large dowry on her.  She must have also retained some control over her funds in order to be able to purchase the Pitti.  This would have been a Spanish custom because, for the most part,  women in Renaissance Florence did not have the legal right to make contracts or own property in their own name.

The women of Spain, of the other hand, could and did inherit lands and thrones.  Think of Isabella of Castile who married Ferdinand of Aragon.  Isabella held the throne in her own right, and this legal right followed the Spanish to the New World, and eventually to California.  Women in the western United States could own land and property long before the women in the eastern states, whose property rights were in line with that of England.

Taste, a trade show

I took this photo in March 2008 at Stazione Leopolda in Firenze,where the trade show, Taste, was being held.  The two figures at the right are actually "bellying up to the bar" for a taste of Italian beer.  The venue is a converted train station now used for various events throughout the year. 

Many of the trade shows, which are open to the public, are centered around the fashion industry, including the women's ready-to-wear, which is held in November each year.  In 2011 the show was held for the first time in Firenze at the Stazione Leopolda.  The organization which sponsors the events,  Pitti Imagine, is deeply entwined with all aspects of the garment industry, and was responsible for the first men's fashion show in Italy in the mid-20th century.  Prior to that time, clothing in Italy was made in small tailoring or dressmaking shops.  Much more at the sophisticated web-site:  www.pittimmagine.com

The Costume Gallery at the Pitti Palace

This portrait by Bronzino, of Eleonora di Toledo, who married Cosimo I di Medici, is one I saw in 2010 in a special exhibit at the Strozzi Palace Museum.  The actual costume Elenora is wearing (or one very much like it) is now featured in an exhibit at the Costume Gallery in the Pitti Palace, and may be the oldest extant costume (c. 1560) of Renaissance Florence.  Here's a link to a website that explains more: 

http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/workbox/extwomclo2.htm