Left:Zoccoli from Saint Benedict appearing to the
Monks, Siena (1508-10)
Something I have wanted to make for many years now are some
chopines. Chopines are classically associated with Venice where the
fashion was at its height. in the 16th century. Sumptuary laws were
made to limit the height of Venetian chopines for both safety and
economic reasons- to prevent pregnant women falling and having
miscarriages and to limit the amount of material used in the length
of skirts. Similar sumptuary laws are recorded in Florence. Platform
shoes in Florence tended to be shorter in height, though there is
mention of the popular 'foreign fashion' of chopines. The more common
platform shoe in Florence, was the zoccoli. - a wooden platform shoe
typically made from white poplar wood. Dressing Renaissance
Florence documents that zoccoli or chopines could be material
covered and even embroidered for festive occasions.
Though I would love to make a lovely set of high chopines, I am
doing the Florentine thing - restraining myself to respectability and
making a pair of wooden zoccoli. This pair are a plain pair being my
first attempt at this sort of thing. I had found this simple example
from Sienna before I had managed to find other pictures from
Florence. For now, this is what I am making. I will make a more
Florentine version later...
Zoccoli can be worn over the more delicate dress shoes, to protect
them from mud etc. The can also be worn directly over the hose. There
are many pictures showing this. Some (particularly the early ones)
look like sandles (and are very similar to pattens). This is
particularly so of the 15th century zoccoli.
Diary:
Some pictures of Florentine contemporary zoccoli: (I will write up
my research later, so watch for the link).
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1435: Gentile da Gavriano (Florence) Italian
Renaissance Interior p 177 (similar to pattens)
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1443 : Andrea del Sarto (Florence) Birth of virgin
Italian Renaissance Interior
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1490's: Ghirlandaio (Florence) An Angel appearing to
Zacharias WebGallery (similar to pattens)
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1520's: Andrea Sarto (Florence.) Birth of the
Virgin
Italian Renaissance Interior
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1560: Vasari Lucian and Cicier Panorama of
Renaissance |
1581: Plate 12 (Florence) Habitus Variarum orbis
gentium
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1590's: VecellioTuscan Peasant
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1590's: VecellioTuscan Noblewoman |
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My zoccoli are intended to wear over my existing leather
shoes to protect them from the wet ground and mud.
Firstly I traced around the shoe to get a shape. The
original picture had a cut out on the bottom. This was made
using a chisel and sanding (a lot of sanding). My dear Dafydd helped with the woodworking.
I made a paper toile over the shoe, for the vamp. Leather
pieces were cut to size (above right).
I used 'blued cut tacks' from the local hardware store. They
had that 'rough' look of what I have seen of period nails
and were intended for use with leather and furniture (at
least that is what the sign said). It must be noted here
that I am not a woodworker and have done very little of this
sort of thing.! I used the tacks to nail the leather onto the wood. I am
happy with the look, as I wanted a plain look to these.
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Left: The debut of the zoccoli.
Now I can attest to the contemporary account of the Italians
knocking their feet against walls to keep their chopines on.
(they are slippery suckers). I think next time, I will make
them smaller and tighter.
Considering I am not a woodworker and this was my first
(joint) effort at this sort of thing (and shoes in general)
I am happy with the results.
I am find the sewing much easier!!!
Now... I have plans for a covered pair!!
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Bibliography:
Arnold, Janet Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd, Maney,
Leeds, 1988, ISBN:0-901286-20-6
Thornton, JH Italian Renaissance Interior 1400-1600
Frick, Carole Collier. Dressing Renaissance Florence.: Families
Fortunes & Clothing. John Hopkins University Press.
Baltimore. 2002. ISBN: 0-8018-6939-0
Kovesi Killerby, Catherine, Sumptuary Law in Italy
1200-1500, Oxford University Press. NY. 2002. ISBN:0-19-924793-5
O'Keeffe, Linda. Shoes: A celebration of pumps, sandals,
slippers and more. Workman Publishing. NY. 1996. ISBN:
0-7611-0114-4
Hibbert, Christopher. Florence, The Biography of a city.
Viking Penguin Group. London. 1993. ISBN: 0-670-84294
Reynolds, Helen. A Fashionable history of the shoe.
Henemann Library. London. 2003. ISBN: 0-431-183430
Gre, Fancis & Neergaard, Margrethe de. Shoes and
Pattens. Museum of London. Boydell Press. 2001. ISBN:
0-85115-838-2
Met Special Topics page/ The Chopine.
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd//chop/hd_chop.htm
Bayerisches National Museum. www.gilindex.de/bilder/
V&A Access to Images. http://images.van.ac.uk/
MFA Boston. Muesum of Fine Arts. www.mfa.org/
Resources - Aneala - by Alessandra Torrigiani d'Arezzo:
http://aneala.sca.org.au/arts/ATPianelle.html
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