There were at least two servants or zanni. One smart and one less smart. The less smart servant was usually an insolent liar, thief and/or drunkard. Much (perhaps most) of the humor came through the actions of the servants.
The
Costumes
of the
Italian Renaissance
Erin Lashley
- Wild, Larry . "Renaissance Theatre: Italy." Northern. 25 Oct. 2011. 9 Sep. 2012. <http://www3.northern.edu/wild/th100/CHAPT13A.HTM>.
- "Italian Renaissance CLOTHING & FASHION." The Borgias. 28 Jun. 2012. 8 Sep. 2012. <http://theborgias.wetpaint.com/page/Italian+Renaissance+CLOTHING+%26+FASHION>.
- "Introduction." Theater Costumes. 2009. 7 Sep. 2012. <http://theatrecostumes.webs.com/medievalrenaissance.htm>.
Veins in the face were extremely popular and seen as a beautiful treasure . At times, people would draw veins on their faces over heavy white powder made of egg fiber. Also, blush was commonly excessively used everyday.
Both men and women wore their hair in loose, long curls. The longer the hair was, the higher social class you belonged to. A women often shaved off the hair on top of their forehead to give themselves a higher hairline. Foreheads were often decorated with pearls and stones or they sometimes wore hair nets. They sometimes bleached their hair with saffron or onion skins. Men's hair fell to the bottom of their neck and was parted in the middle.
There were many different styles within the style of the Italian Renaissance. The four most commonly known ones are the Roman, Florentine, Venetian, and the Lombard styles.
The hair and shoulders were usually completely covered. The styles were usually made of long, flowing, layered rich fabric with luxurious silks to accent. The more layers you had, the more wealth and prestige
you had. Wide sleeves
were also very popular,
as were headdresses.
Dresses were usually complex and decorative, indicating vast wealth of the person wearing it. Giornea (sleeveless outer-gown that drapes over her bodice) were also elaborate and luxurious. The Tuscan styles are thought to be more austere than other fashions such as those found in northern Italy, and did
not have headdresses.
Venetian dresses had a stiff bodice with a pointed, V-shaped opening. The same pointed shape was repeated in the back, while the bodice usually was short in the sides. The opening in front revealed the white chemise, or sometimes also a decorated modesty panel. There is almost always ladder lacing in front, and the shoulder straps are set wide. There's usually nice shoulder details on the sleeves, and the skirts are high up in the waist, full, and sometimes with a train. The counter-reformation was never embraced in Venice as it was in other Italian city states, and the clothes reflect that.
The square, open neck lining typical for all of
Italy in the early 1500's lived much longer in
Venice than elsewhere, and bright colours
and rich fabrics was always in vogue.
The bodice was an exquisite example of "large" brocade, probably made of cloth woven with gold silk thread. Belts were covered in large gems, and had several hundred large pearls in their caps that wraps their hair and braid. Ribbons and multi-colored designs were very stylish at the time, along with enormous stuffed rolls in the 1450s, which stayed popular for decades after.
Stock characters were commonly used, and are actually still recognised today.
The Straights
Il Capitano
Pantalone
The Servants
Il Dottore
A pair of young lovers. They were handsome, well-educated and witty. The dapper young man was usually opposed in his love affair by one of the masters (or perhaps his father). The young lady was sophisticated, noble and innocent.
Il Capitano-- a pompous braggart and coward who boasted of his great prowess in love and battle, but was usually discredited in both.
Pantalone-- a greedy, lustful, meddling old man. Often a merchant.
Il Dottore-- often a friend of Pantalone. He was a professor (or physician) who spouted
inaccurate Latin. His standard dress
was the academic cap and gown.
The Italian Renaissance started around 1400, and ended about the time of 1620. They would use no scripts, so everything was improvised.