Poor People's Clothing in Renaissance Italy

Click image for larger version.	Sassetta, St. Anthony Distributing His Wealth to the Poor, detail, 1440. Sienese painter. Here we see an early-Renaissance example of what was considered the bare minimum to wear. Often in wealthy people's portraits we are seeing them loaded down, but these very poor people are quite a contrast to that. St. Anthony himself wears fairly fashionable clothing, consisting of a knee-length giornea worn over a doublet and hose with no discernible shoes. As a bonus, he holds a pouch -- we don't see many of those. Of the peasants, all wear a gownlike garment, not very fitted. All of the garments look the same in cut, except for length. They also look much thinner than comparable garments for wealthier people. The hem of the woman's dress looks frayed, though this may be a trick of the painting itself. The two women also wear pale (but not perfectly white) veils over their heads. All figures except the beggar in black also wear discernible shoes.
	Sandro Botticelli, Venus and the Graces Offering Gifts to a Young Girl, 1483, detail. Florentine school. This woman isn't exactly poor, but her drab, close-fitting gown well illustrates the simpler silhouette of a poorer woman. Note her wide belt, though, and her plain veil.

The Florentine Closet

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