Dressing Up Like a Medici Principessa! A Fantastic Fantasy!
The allure of Eleonora de’ Medici
I have always fantasized about dressing like Eleonora de’ Medici. This desire comes to life in my novel “Dreaming Sophia.” Have you seen the painting of Eleonora by Agnolo di Cosimo Bronzino? It is housed in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and was painted around 1545.
Who was Eleonora?
The woman featured in the portrait is the wife of Cosimo I de’ Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. She was the daughter of a Spanish nobleman, Don Pedro de Toledo, Marquis of Francavilla, Viceroy of Naples, and a senior officer to Emperor Charles V.
Un’icona del Rinascimento
An icon of the Renaissance
In questo affascinante ritratto di Bronzino, Eleonora è seduta con regale compostezza accanto al piccolo Giovanni, suo figlio. Guarda lo spettatore con sicurezza, incarnando i ruoli di moglie, madre, padrona di casa, reggente, donna d’affari e figura centrale della dinastia Medici. Lo sfondo blu intenso esalta ulteriormente la sua maestosa figura e la bellezza straordinaria del suo abito, che domina visivamente la scena.
In this captivating portrait by Bronzino, Eleonora is regally seated beside her young son Giovanni. She gazes at the viewer with confidence, embodying her roles as a wife, mother, mistress of a large household, regent, businesswoman, and central figure of the Medici dynasty. The intense blue background further enhances her majestic presence and the stunning beauty of her gown, which visually commands the scene.
Il tocco artistico di Bronzino
Bronzino’s artistic touch
Bronzino, pittore di corte dei Medici, era noto per i suoi ritratti stilizzati e posati con linee eleganti, molto apprezzati dai suoi mecenati. In questo dipinto, l’artista si concentra sul magnifico abito broccato di Eleonora, riproducendolo con un’abilità straordinaria.
Bronzino, the court painter of the Medici, was renowned for his stylized portraits with elegant lines, highly admired by his patrons. In this painting, the artist focuses on Eleonora’s magnificent brocade gown, rendering it with astonishing skill.
Lo stile realistico di Bronzino mette in risalto la tridimensionalità del tessuto in broccato, con intricati motivi arabescati in oro, argento e nero. Il motivo a melograni simboleggia la fertilità di Eleonora e il suo ruolo di madre (ebbe ben undici figli!). Guardando il dipinto, si percepisce il peso del tessuto e dei gioielli che adornano la duchessa.
Bronzino’s photorealistic style highlights the dimensionality of the brocade fabric, with intricate gold, silver, and black arabesque motifs. The pomegranate design symbolizes Eleonora’s fertility and her role as a mother (she bore eleven children!). Looking at the painting, one can almost feel the weight of the fabric and the jewelry adorning the duchess.
Patrona delle arti e amante del lusso
Patron of the arts and lover of luxury
Eleonora era una grande amante delle arti e delle cose raffinate. Aveva persino dieci tessitori d’oro e d’argento al suo servizio per realizzare gli abiti di corte! Nonostante le voci che la descrivono come una giocatrice d’azzardo, era una moglie e madre devota, oltre che un’abile amministratrice. Acquistò e ristrutturò Palazzo Pitti e i Giardini di Boboli.
Eleonora was a great patron of the arts and a lover of fine things. She even employed ten gold and silver weavers to create her court attire! Despite rumors of her being a gambler, she was a devoted wife and mother, as well as a savvy administrator. She purchased and refurbished the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens.
Un sogno che prende forma
A dream brought to life
Non sono l’unica a sognare di vestirmi come Eleonora! Qualche anno fa, Fausto Fornasari, costumista vicino a Mantova, ha ricreato l’abito di Eleonora. Il suo atelier, King Studio, ha impiegato tre anni per completarlo, replicandolo con fedeltà, incluso il reticolo dorato con perle sulle spalle.
I’m not the only one dreaming of dressing like Eleonora! A few years ago, Fausto Fornasari, a costume designer near Mantua, recreated Eleonora’s gown. His studio, King Studio, took three years to complete the faithful replication, including the pearl-studded gold netting around the shoulders.
Adornarsi come una duchessa
Adorn yourself like a duchess
A Firenze, potete visitare Tharros Bijous, dove Carlo Amato crea gioielli ispirati ai capolavori del Rinascimento, incluso il collare di Eleonora. Passeggiando per Firenze, ho incontrato il gioielliere che esponeva i suoi pendenti e orecchini in Piazza della Repubblica! Come potevo resistere ad andarmene da Firenze senza uno dei gioielli di Eleonora?
In Florence, you can visit Tharros Bijous, where Carlo Amato creates jewelry inspired by Renaissance masterpieces, including Eleonora’s necklace. While wandering through Florence, I met the jeweler selling his pendants and earrings in Piazza della Repubblica! How could I resist coming away from Florence without one of Eleonora’s jewels?
Viviamo il Rinascimento!
Step into the Renaissance!
Anche oggi possiamo vestirci come nobili e adornarci di gioielli,
come se fossimo usciti da un dipinto rinascimentale!
Even today, we can dress like nobility and adorn ourselves with jewels,
as if we had stepped out of a Renaissance painting!
Eleonora de Medici
Watch the Book Trailer for Dreaming Sophia
Read the novel that was inspired by Eleonora de Medici’s Gown!
Dreaming Sophia
Dreaming Sophia is a magical look into Italy, language, art, and culture. It is a story about turning dreams into reality and learning to walk the fine line between fact and fantasy. When tragedy strikes, Sophia finds herself alone in the world, without direction and fearful of loving again. With only her vivid imagination to guide her, she begins a journey that will take her from the vineyards in Sonoma, California to a grad school in Philadelphia and, eventually, to Italy: Florence, Lucca, Rome, Verona, Venice, and Val d’Orcia. Through dreamlike encounters, Sophia meets Italian personalities—princes, poets, duchesses, artists, and film stars— who give her advice to help put her life back together. Following a path that takes her from grief to joy, she discovers the source of her creativity and learns to love again, turning her dreams into reality.
I am reading “The Marriage Portrait “ byMaggie O’Farrell., The book is about Lucrezia the daughter of Eleanora written in2022- a very good read.