Leonardo da Vinci. Pioneer of fashion and style

Description

In the 1490s, Milan emerged as a protagonist of proto-industrial development in textiles, clothing and accessories, excelling in silk, fine leather and jewellery production. In short, the city became a leader in the luxury sector. The splendour expressed through garments, perfumes, hairstyles and jewellery became synonymous with political power – a language of prestige for the highest social ranks – and sparked fierce competition among the Renaissance courts. The female figure at court assumed unprecedented importance: women began to liberate themselves from a tradition that had long demonised them, becoming instead the ‘fair sex’. The most refined ladies of the time – Caterina de’ Medici, Lucrezia Borgia, Isabella d’Este – acted as patrons of a new aesthetic, shaping ideals of beauty and uniqueness. In this climate of great fervour and innovation, Leonardo da Vinci, in his codices, reveals a lesser-known facet of his genius: that of precursor to the new Italian style....

View this product on the Publisher's website