Eleonora di Toledo

 Eleonora di Toledo's Burial Gown, Elizabethan  Add comments
Apr 152011
 

The burial gown of Eleonora di Toledo

This is an actual, extant garment which was found in the tomb of Eleonora Di Toledo; which means that she was buried in this dress.
Here is what I wrote when I had that gown on my ‚Planned costumes‘ page:

Eleonora Di Toledo’s
burial gown

(sketch by Janet Arnold in ‚Patterns of Fashion‘)

(Photograph of the actual, extant garment after conservation work)		 I’m just scared of embroidering the velvet guards… call me a coward…
Material: I have something in mind, but have not bought it yet, as I don’t want the gown made of satin but a nicely patterned brocade or damask, as pictured in Janet Arnold’s „Patterns of Fashion“:
(Picture doesn’t show Eleonora, but Isabella of Portugal, wife of Emperor Charles V, on her grave statue by Pompe, 1564.
She’s wearing a dress much similar to Eleonora’s, just that the skirt is split at the front to reveal a forepart – which I like a lot, I think I’ll make mine at least split able, too.)But I have already programmed the embroidery designs for the guards for my embroidery machine. I would use an enlarged version of the original pattern as given in ‚Patterns of Fashion‘ for this gown.
It would also be quite nice to actually have one gown of Eleonora’s daughter – which I have by creating the Maria di Medici gown – and this one of her mother 😉

Update November 2005:
I know now what fabric I will make the gown from; I already have it. Plus – in addition to the paned sleeves Janet Arnold has drawn to the gown in her book, I will make another pair of sleeves – those here:

Those are the sleeves of the ‚Italian gown‘ from ‚Elizabeth R‘ – find my studying page for that movie here. I just love that chevron look of those sleeves.
Though, of course, at least the long strips from shoulder to wrist would have to be embroidered in the same way as the guards on the gown are embroidered – so – at least another 3 yards of guards to be embroidered…
Update December 2005:
Chance has it that I will be going to Italy in February 2006. Given the chance that my travel will also bring me to Milano, then I would like to have this gown finished until then – to take some pictures.
The chance that I can actually have it finished until then, however, are relatively small as the embroidery of the guards will take very long…

So… That basically is already enough planning for this rather simple, yet time consuming costume; so I can omit the ‚planning‘ page this time and right away go on to the undergarments.

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