Kat's Florence Files - Research and recreation of 16thC Florence

Compiled and photographs by La Signora Onorata Katerina da Brescia

The word Casa was used to describe the household not just the house itself - the family. The Casa, like clothing, exhibited the wealth and status of its owner.

"You are where you live!" (At Home in Renaissance Italy, p12)
And like clothing, a great deal of money was spent to make sure that the Casa promoted the family, its status and honour of the Florentine family.

Inheritance:
Great care was taken in making sure the casa remained in the family. The family house was usually passed down to the son. When her husband died, the widow did not automatically remain in the couple's home, usually returning to her father's house. The dowry was returned and used for remarriage. (At Home in Renaissance Italy p 81). It

was not unheard of for a widow to stay in the maritial home if there were young children (usually son), to be maintained with her servant. They could also be left specific rooms and/or furnishings. Mothers who had a houseas part of their inheritance retained owenership of the property and could will it onto their daughter.
Some Commune laws in Central Italy did not allow women from owning 'immobile property belonging to the family line'. Dowry was calculated on a portion of family "mobile" goods. However, houses (but usually land only) have been recorded in the dowry of some 1st-time married daughters of land-owning elite (At Home in Renaissance Italy p77). However the married couple did not usually reside in the wife's house. Florentine law ensured that fathers rehoused widowed (childless) daughters.
(Above right: Palazzo Vecchio)

Types of Casa in Florence:
Palazzo:
This large house could be owned by either nobles or wealthy merchants. This was of more than one storey and large amounts of the family fortune could be invested in the casa. Merchant Filippo Strozzi invested more than one-third of his estate in building the Palazzo Strozzi. (At Home in Renaissance Italy p ).

Domuncula or Casetta (small house)
This smaller house was usually of 1-2 stories and was found on the cities outskirts, often near wealthy houses.

Multi-Family House
These were common in the 16th century. At this time, many domuncule were 'absorbed' as parts of larger buildings. In Florence, they were usually of 2-3 floors. Different households would occupy 1-2 floors of the same building. This was the common dwelling of lower classes such as artisans. Families or individuals could move several times in their lifetime, depending on birth, deaths and marriages which altered the family situation.

(Right: In the Piazza della Signoria)

'Typical' Rooms in the Casa/ Palazzo -
Ground Floor:

Entrance Hall/ Door way - (Medici entrance hall is high, barrel vaulted )
Courtyard - square, surrounded by columned walkways (2 or 3 arms) to enjoy the light and air. One arm has a staircase up to the Piano Nobile and rooms where visitor is recieved. Decorated (to show family honour and status - can include family heraldry)
Loggia - one arm of surrounding walkways that is wider, with built in benches. this is used for outdoor dining and entertainment
A Garden beyond - for further entertainment
Other Rooms can include: Camera terrana (ground floor Camera) or a ground floor sala. Front rooms can be used for guests and secretaries.
Service rooms - including rooms for male and female servants, room for making bread, oil storage room, kitchens (often minimum of two floors in larger houses), toilets (usaully in small rooms under the stairs, or near sleeping quarters). Drainpipes led into the basement to cesspools.

General Ground Floor: Rooms can be 6-8 m high with vaulted cielings. Interior floors usually of polished brick, inlaid marble or ceramic tiles. The courtyard is often paved stone.

Piano Nobile (First Floor)
This usually the primary living area (though this can be on ground floor too). Rooms are arranged in suites, laid out in strict sequence.

stairs up to Ricetto (Hallway) where guests await the pleasure of an audience. Commonly there are benches for waiting. This became larger in 15th and 16th centuries. However, if space is a problem, there may be no Ricetto and the stairs may lead directly to the Sala.
Sala - Formal reception room (Sala Principale - main reception room, if many suites). This is a large room and always at the top of the stairs and near the front of the casa. Cielings can be 6.5m high. Windows are often big and/ or high to allow for natural light, and can have stone stairways up to them. Windows, in this room do not usually have glass, but movable, stretched wax cloth. There is usually a large fireplace, aquaio (water spouts in stone on the wall or just a basin), wall fabric hangings, wood panelling - with or without paintings set into it, benches (free or built-in), credenza (side-table). Long tables were commonplace but became less frequent in the 16th century. (If Casa was of an artisan, the apprentices may sleep and eat here). Fixtures are usually of stone.
Salotto/Saletta. this is a smaller, less formal sala, more common in the 16th century. Also suites for differing family 'branches' or members could have their own saletta.

(Right bottom: view from the Uffuzi windows, towards the Duomo)

Camera- bedroom and... This room is used for sleeping, conversation, needlework, reading, accounts, simple meals, political business mettings, recieving guests, showing newborn babies, recieving family and friends when ill or dying and wakes for the dead. It is not as large as the Sala, and nearly square in shape. This room has more furniture, usually wooden. Furniture can include the bed, lettucio (daybed) opposite or at right angles, storage chests, small table (octagonal common in 16thC), fireplace (smaller than in sala). There is often curtains at the doors, rugs over tables and chests. The cieling is painted. There is often a painting over the bed. There is at least one image of the Virgin and Child. Walls can have tooled leather hangings. Other items found here can include: paintings, nautical maps, music.

Anticamera (anti=next to). - smaller room next to the camera. Decoration is usually more elaborate and furniture more cluttered. The cieling is usually low and wooden. There can be a mezzanine above for storage.
Scrittio - study. This also can have a low wooden cieling with storage mezzanine or a 'room within a room' for the study. Here can be found a bed, lettucio, works of art, lower doorway.
Cappelltta (small chapel)

General Piano Nobile: cielings have wood exposed beams often painted in complex patterns. Scuptures or paintings above doors, fireplaces and set into pieces of furniture - is a common decoration for the 16th century Florentine casa.

Second Floor:
(Medici palazzo had second floors). This housed the less important rooms, providing storage and additional rooms for the ever-changing size of the 'residing' family members. There were also covered areas which were open to the courtyard where clothing could be dried/ aired.

in the merchant streets of Florence

Bibliography:

Ajmar-Wollheim, Marta & Dennis, Flora (ed). At Home in Renaissance Italy. V&A Publications London, 2006. ISBN: 10 1 85177 488 2.
Currie, Elizabeth. Inside the Renaissance House. V&A Publications, London, 2006. 10 1 85177 490 6.

Italy guides.it (Uffuzzi) http://www.italyguides.it/us/florence/uffizi_gallery.htm
Italy guides.it (interactive map of Florence) http://www.italyguides.it/us/florence/interactive_map_of_florence/map_of_florence.php
Medici Archive Project: www.medici.org/ (1/06)
Palazzo Vecchio: Commune of Florence http://www.comune.firenze.it/servizi_pubblici/arte/musei/a.htm
Tinagli, Paola. Women in Italian Renaissance Art; Gender Representation Identity. Manchester University Press, 1997. ISBN: 0 7190 4054 X
Thorton, Peter. The Italian Renaissance Interior 1400-1600. Harry N. Adams INc, NY. 1991. ISBN: 0-8109-3459-0
Virtual Panoramas of Florence: http://www.italyguides.it/us/florence/florence_italy.htm
V&A Museum- http://www.vam.ac.uk/