Italianate French fashion circa 1500-1520

[gem]

Do our resident portrait goddesses have links to any images from this period/region?

As y'all know, I'm working on a recreation of one of the gowns from the Promenade in the Flemish/French millefleurs tapestry series "La Vie Signeurale:"



I'm in the process of tracking down as many quality images of the tapestry as I can find (I have a French museum catalogue on its way to me via interlibrary loan right now), but even so, some of the details are a little fuzzy.  My best image so far is here.

Tapestry experts disagree about the precise origins and dates of the work, but several remark on the Italian influence in the fashions depicted, and agree that the tapestries most likely date from ~1500-1520.

Does anyone recognize this *type* of gown?  Ever seen anything similar in portraits, etc?  I'm particularly curious about what's going on at the neckline--not that rose-shaped ornament thing, but the actual necklines and straps of the gown and kirtle.  I can make out the partlet well enough, and the puffs of chemise at the shoulder.  The general silhouette of the ensemble is easy enough to make out, but it's those particular construction details I'm trying to nail down.



Gramercy!

[mellingera]

The straps at first glance remind me of a halter top. Wait don't laugh yet! See where they are attached down near the armpit, like on most gowns they are wide set on the bodice, but look up at her neck and they are right up near the sides of her neck on both sides. It really does have a halter type look to it. 
Ok, on a serious note, in my mind, I imagine the back of the dress following the same line as created by the straps and her necklace. Like if you color in the area between the straps stopping at her necklace, that could be what the back of the gown looks like. It appears as though the "sleeves" attach near the armpit so the straps of the dress don't have to support their weight like they usually would...
This probably really isn't all that much help, but it could be an idea if all other forms of research fail...

BTW, this gown is going to be fabulous, I can't wait to see how it turns out!!!

[PrincessSara]

The Cluny tapestries are from the same era.

A Mon Seul Desir (sorry it's a bit blurry)


Hearing


Touch

Also a lovely close-up


Smell

Detail


Taste


I can't find a good copy of Sight, but I have a detail from it:



I also found another from La Vie Seigneuriale


I hope those are helpful!

[FaireMare]

Princess Sara..... all I can say is WOW! 

Great work.  I think I have another Portrait Goddess in the making.

[operafantomet]

Try out a little search in http://www.wga.hu/index1.html (World Gallery of Art). Click on "search" in the menu above (third from the left), enter what time period, school etc you're looking for (for example "Flemish 1501-1550"), and you'll get an alfabetical list of matching choices. LOTS of gorgeous stuff there, and many search options.

Joos van Cleve shows stuff that reminds of the pictures above, a kind of early French-Flemish tight-fitting style. 

[DonaCatalina]

For this time period, tapestries are your best bet for examples of clothing.
The Chateau de Chaumont tapestry set has many figures of people in different classes of clothing in the early 16th century.
http://www.davidrumsey.com/amico/amico12214021-35518.html
http://www.france-for-visitors.com/loire/cher/chateau-de-chaumont.html

[act2redux]

You know, I was reading on some unknown at the moment site...probably Costumers manifesto, I've been there a lot recently.  They were talking about how the shoulders slip off all the time and make you crazy and that if the back of the bodice is v-necked it stops this problem..could it be that the maker just figured this same thing out??/ solved it that way?

[PrincessSara]

I just found another hoard of tapestries from this era, although the quality is not fabulous.  Lots of different gowns though, some very interesting stuff.  http://www.costumes.org/travel/00pages/uktour/uktour_p35.htm

[LadyOren]

wow Princess Sara fantastic link, have added it to my stash of links.  Gem I'm dying to see your finished gown.  With all the time and work you have been doing on it I'm sure it's going to be breathtaking. 

[gem]

Thanks, everyone!  Sarah, Dona C, and Operafan, especially!

I'm still recovering from a couple of crazy weeks, but I've tracked down some images (and found a color closeup of the tapestry gown!) to share as soon as I can.