The Florence Files: Embroidered headwrap turban
16th Century.
Recreated by La Signora Onorata Katerina da Brescia.

1st February, 2006:(well November, 2005 really)

While I have the embroidery bug, I am finally going to try some Assisi work on the end of a turban-styled wrap headdress that can be found in Florentine portraits. Three can be seen below. I have based mine mainly on the first one (I have a very similar dress!) with a band of Assisi work and a fringe. This will be a very practicle piece of headwear for camping!


Giuliano Bugiardini Portrait of a Young Woman, 1525


Portrait of a Young Woman (La Fornarina) Raffaello 1518-19

Portrait of the Artist's Wife by Andrea del Sarto , 1513-1514

I had sort of started this a few months back, having seen a cute bunny pattern. There was a Worshipful Company of Broiderers competition running on 'bunnies'. I did not have time then to do it (let alone finish it). The competition was extended to Festival this year, so I decided to get off my proverbial and do it!

Background:

During the 16th century, various states in Italy were involved in politics and trade with the East and 'fighting the Turks'. Some fashion was influenced by this also. Turbans can be seen in the above pictures. (Turkish coats were seen in Venetian portraits.)
Dressing Renaissance Florence mentions that Florentine women publicly wore cappucci wound up in a turban (p 157) in the 15thC. Though this was not common. Men could also wear turbans which were publicly acceptable (p283). Pictorial evidence is found of women wearing turban like headwear in the 16th century, as seen in the above portraits of more influencial women.
Some pictures show the linen head wear both wound and non-wound in the previous century. Wrapping it was practicle and would keep it out of the way when doing work or at home. Sassetta's Birth of the Virgin (Tuscany). shows half-wrapped linen. (from Italian Renaissance Interiors)

Pattern:
These appear to be long strips of (linen) wound around the head. I also looked into Eastern turbans, as this fashion was most likely influenced by the trade and conflicts with the East. Most articles seem to mention strips of linen, from '6-18 inches' wide and '4-12 yards' long. I decided on just over 7 inches by 4 yards. I did not want too boofy a turban and this was the width of the embroidery pattern. (March: looking back now, I will make my next turban wider...)

Decoration:
The first visual example I have, has a white cloth strip with embroidered decoratoin on the end.
Initially, I had a photocopy of the pattern (full pattern seen below Right) but it was incomplete. It was originally from a pattern book by Newall (p 14) Needlework Patterns from Renaisance Germany- Designs charted from Johan Sibmacher's Schon Neues Modelbuch 1597. (In the WCOB article on Bunnies: www.sca.org.au/broiderers). I tried to get a copy of this book, but could not. Fortunately there was also a copy of the pattern in The Needles Excellency A New Booke. This was published in 1631 but has the same pattern as in the 1597 Modelbuch. (Cover below) This is downloadable of the internet.

 My Turban:

Here is the embroidery. I have decided I hate counting all those little threads! I made three of the linen's threads equal one square of the above pattern. I added an extra tree on the left to give a slightly wider width. This is my first attempt at Assissi work and the first time I have done any form of cross stitch. The embroidery is done in long-arm cross stitch. Research I have done suggests that this is a period method. I preferred the 'more filled in' look of this form. As I have not done this form of embroidery before, I am unsure on how the back should look exactly.
I used Medera silk thread, using it in single strands.
The edges have a fringe, created by handsewing with linen thread along near the edge, pulling the threads (ah, something else I would learn to do....), and using a blanket stitch to create an edge to hold the fringe. A fringe can be seen on Sassetta's Birth of the Virgin and Giuliano Bugiardini's Portrait of a Young Woman, 1525, both of which are Florentine/ Tuscan. Both of these paintings also have the pattern on the end of the 'wrap'.

Tying the Turban.

These turbans show possibly two different ways of wrapping and tying the cloth. The first is similar to an easy to read article is found at Tying the Turban website. This has a visible strip of cloth tightly across the head at the front, with the rolled material would around this and a tail at the back. The second appears to be have alternate wrapping. There is no visible bit of material on the front of the head. This appears to be wrapped similarly to : Other_Articles_V_Turban
Finally, on the far right, I was lucky enough to find this picture in one of my favourite books -

 

 

Right: Gentile Fabriano painting (Florence, 1425)

Italian Renaissance Interior 1400-1600, by Peter Thornton. p177 (Far Right) This looks very similar in shape to the first picture by Giuliano Bugiardini.

My Theory on wrapping the Florentine way:

I will post pictures of how it looks, when I get a decent pic (and get more practice).
By looking at the first and last pictures above, it appears to me that one end of the wrap (with gold fringe) is placed against the front of the head (as seen in Burgiardini). The final (Fabriano) picture appears to show the material is then brought forward. (looking at the bottom right woman in profile) This would give a similar appearance to the folds as seen here. The wrap is then wound, in the case of the upper right woman, from the left to the right. It would have to be wound several times. Finally, as in Bugiardini's portrait, the end is tucked through the wrapped material (forward, under up through and out the back) to leave the decorated end free. Both Budiardini and Raffaello's Portrait of a Young Woman have only one free end hanging out the back and a slight straight bit of cloth visible under the wrapped section This is consistent with the Fabriano painting, seen from the other side.

(UPDATE: March, 2006) Above is a picture I have just found (right), is also from Dressing Renaissance Florence (p155). It is a detail from Masaccio, The Ditribution of the Goods of the Church (1425) .

Though almost a century earlier than the Bugiardini portrait, it is similar in shape. This painting also shows similar folds at the back of the headress (as in Fabriano's portrait).
On the right is my first attempt and 2nd attempt at wrapping. Though not quite right, it is looking at least similar. I will need a lot more practice!
Using this method, I have confirmed my earlier belief that I will need to make a wrap slightly wider next time.

 

*UPDATE PIC RIGHT

UPDATE: March, 2006

I have been looking at other paintings, also from the late 15th C, and have come to the conclusion that the Florentine linen headwrap is shorter and wider than I have made mine (so I guess another will be in the works eventually). The picture left, from Dressing Renaissance Florence p 156: School of Ghirlandaio, Inventario de un' eredita dei Buonomini, shows the cowl-like veil, which appears to be in a rectangle with a fringe on the ends. This is worn to cover the face and neck from view. (Dressing Renaissance Florence p 157)
Florentine woman would cover their head when in public.


CLICK on pic for more detail

Upper class woman would be able to afford beautiful and fine silk veils. The lower classes may have had to do with linen. The embroidered towels (which showed their skill with the needle) were decorated, if not fine material.
The second picture, on the right is Sassetta's Birth of the Virgin (Tuscany). (from Italian Renaissance Interiors) This shows a linen headwrap (cowl) on the woman on the bottom left, a similar item (towel) over the shoulder of the central woman and the linen worn over the head of the woman inthe bed. This is worn similarly to the woman in the Ghirlandaio painting (upper left). These and other paintings, suggest that the same linen 'cowl' (which looks suspisciously like a towel with embroidered edges and fringing... hmmmm...) is worn in both fashions - like a cowl (or veil) and wrapped like a turban. This would serve to keep the hair and material out of the way when doing 'woman's work' around the house.
Upper right, is a painting by Bacchiacca;The Preaching of Saint John the Baptist (1520). The central woman is most likely a servant and not upper classs, as the woman in front of her. The first three portraits (top:Giuliano Bugiardini Portrait of a Young Woman, 1525, Portrait of a Young Woman (La Fornarina) Raffaello 1518-19, Portrait of the Artist's Wife by Andrea del Sarto , 1513-1514) are most likely not upperclass women either.


On the night:
the headwrap from the side

and from the back.

Right: The debut at Newcomers feast

Kat.

 Bibliography