Recreating Marcia of Boccaccio’s manuscript “The Lives of Famous Women”

A while ago, a friend in the SCA (Cecilia de Gatisbury) started a group to portray the women of Robinet Testard’s illuminations of Boccaccio’s manuscript “The Lives of Famous Women”. We all chose the person we wanted to recreate and a great project was born. You can follow along on the full project at the main blog: Famous Women Project .

I chose to recreate Marcia, Daughter of Varro, and an artist.

Boccaccio writes:

It has long been known that in Rome there was a woman named Marcia, daughter of Varro, who remained a virgin all her life. But I do not remember having found out which Varro it was or even when she lived.

I believe that this woman should be extolled all the more because she was legally independent and preserved her virginity in its full integrity of her own free will, not because of the coercion of a higher authority. As a matter of fact, I do not find that she was bound by holy orders to Vesta or subject to a vow made to Diana or entangled in another commitment – all reasons which curb and restrain women. I believe it was through purity of mind alone that she conquered the sting of the flesh, which occasionally overcomes even the most illustrious men, and she kept her body unblemished by any relations with men until her death.

I chose Marcia, mostly because I felt this was a dress and accessories that I could complete AND contained items (from hat to dress to apron) that I would wear again. Because hats and aprons are always in style. ;-)

I have since completed the apron and am in patterning mode for the hat at the moment. I have purchased and prepped the red and white linen needed for the project and am looking forward to the final result. Many thanks to Cecilia for having this idea and for bringing us all along for the ride!!!

Other References for Marcia

Paris. Bibliothèque Nationale. Ms. fr. 12420, fol. 101vo. Boccaccio. De claris mulieribus (in French translation).
Harvard: Literature and Arts C-22 European Culture in the Latin Middle Ages
"In Boccaccio's work De claris mileribus (On Famous Women), Marcia scorned the usual occupations of women and devoted herself to painting and ivory carving. Here, with the aid of a mirror, she fashions her own portrait; brushes, a palette, and pots of paint are on the easel and table nearby. (Detail)"

Historian Errant - Boccaccio's Women Artists

14th Century Dress - Green Plaid

So, I had this lovely cotton (almost flannel-ish) plaid fabric that my Mom had given me many years ago (when I was still focusing on Anglo-Saxon stuff), because she thought I could put it to good use. Unfortunately (or... I suppose, Fortunately!) I never did find the perfect project.

Well, fast-forward to January 2017 and we've got a sewing weekend set up for Charle Manor. The goal was to help a friend get an underdress and several of us get general patterns & help with fabric that we owned, but didn't know what to do with (or were too scared to cut into ourselves). I brought 2 tubs full of fabrics - I needed help designating projects for them, as well as patterning them (and actually cutting into them... O_o). Definitely the hardest part for me...

When Kat saw this fabric - she immediately said "Bias-cut Plaid Cotehardie"... I just looked at her skeptically. "Really? Plaid? Cotehardie? for me?" 

Good thing she knows what she's doing. Pictures of process & final project below (coming soon). Turns out, plaid cotehardies were a thing, although not as popular as other styles. :) 

Couture Mayah Blog

Laura Parker Blog

The Master of Estamariu: Detail of the
Alterpiece of St. Vincent, Estamariu,
Catalunya (Catalonia) - 2nd Half of the 14th C

Los Reyes de Oriente, detalle de la Tabla de la Anunciacion y la Epifania,entre 1347 y 1360

I almost always need supervision while cutting
fabric. It's too paralyzing otherwise...

I pinned the HECK out of this dress during every phase of the construction. I really wanted the pattern of the fabric to line up appropriately. IT PAID OFF!
Take the time and pin your fabric... It's worth it.

Sewing, Sewing, Just keep Sewing!

Pinning and Ironing made this
matchup of the fabric pattern almost
PERFECT! YESSSS :D

So there wasn't enough of the fabric width wise to get a fuller skirt, so we improvised with extra fabric. I thought it would be cool to reverse the pattern for this little piece. I actually like it. It's almost like an optical illusion. Is that really reverse or is it just your eyes? ;-)

Again with the pinning! This time was so that
I could hand sew the neckline.

A dress deserves a proper hairdo!
Experimenting with looped braids. 

The big Reveal! Chieftains, February 2017. The underdress is an old underdress that Alethea gave me (simple cotton lace-up). I really *love* how this dress turned out. I am letting it "settle" before finishing the final hem (if you look closely, you can see that it's unfinished). This fabric stretches A LOT and I wanted to get as much stretch out as possible before putting work into the hem. ;-) Kat is going to help me with some arm revisions, but it's wearable and I got lots of compliments on it.

Good thing, too, as this is the dress (and the event) that Eringlin begged a Boon for me for the Order of the Pelican!!!!!!!! Good timing, I suppose. ;-) Kat may or may not have known about that part (sneaky Laurels).

14th Century Cotehardie - Black

It seems appropriate that I start with projects I've done, clothes I've sewn, and resources I've found.

This is a black linen cotehardie (no lacing or buttons) that I started in January 2016 and finished in February. Made of IL019 (Medium Weight) Black Linen from Fabrics-Store. Mistress Elianor de Morland hosted a sewing weekend and this dress is patterned off of her infamous Traveling Dress of Calontir (seems to fit ALL shapes & sizes. It is really strange how it does that, but I won't complain!)

It is machine-constructed, but hand finished (including the hem!) Turns out, I don't mind hand-finishing, but I can't imagine wanting to hand-construct something like this that has a dozen different seams... In the future, I'll make some tippets (Blue, Purple, and Gold/Yellow are my goals) and some additional under-dresses in other colors. 

The left photo is at the SCA 50th Year event held in Danville, Indiana during June of 2016. I was judging the Wood Jousting Tournament while sitting on the Ippo Proti. This dress was surprisingly comfortable on horseback! I'm wearing a borrowed bycocket and a linen under-dress.

The right photo is at Midrealm's Candlemas held in Elizabethtown, KY on February 6th, 2016. This dress proved extremely comfortable! I finished the hem on the drive down to Kentucky. I'm wearing an open face hood made for me by a friend (blue silk/linen with red silk lining) and a white linen under-dress. 

Examples from Medieval Manuscripts

Bodleian Library MS Bodl. 264 - Mid-Fourteenth Century edition of the Romance of Alexander. The woman wears a red kirtle and blue cotehardie with tippets.

Bodleian Library MS Bodl. 264 - Mid-Fourteenth Century edition of the Romance of Alexander. The woman (giving away her heart) wears a purple kirtle and green cotehardie with tippets.

Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, Juin the Musée Condé, Chantilly.

Easy Links
The Fashion Historian-Head to Toe 14th Century Woman

Kacey's Changes in 1 Year (July 2016-July 2017)

Kacey has been through a lot in this last year, but I want to track how his conformation has changed over time. This post will be where I track those photos. I may or may not split out into different posts, but for now I'll just keep updating this one. :)

August 2016 - We left the barn we were boarding at. Too many horses, Kacey was losing weight too fast, and the farrier had made him lame with the last two visits... -_- We'll be staying outside of town until I can find a barn I can afford, that is also safe & welcoming (for both me and Kacey). Luckily, I have just the place. Thank goodness for SCA Family...

NEW BARN - July 2017: After recovering in the country for about a year, we moved to a new barn (potential lessee) and he's been there for a couple weeks now. He's put on a lot of weight, which I think is a combination of the alfalfa hay he's getting now, as well as the once (sometimes twice) weekly lessons he's in (they're only walk/trot for the moment).

Summer 2003 - Taking photos for his APHA Papers

Summer 2003 - Taking photos for his APHA Paper

July 16, 2016

July 16, 2016

September 25, 2016 - I should have taken the bareback pad off, but was in a hurry. We moved from the barn we were at, so that he's not fighting so much. He's a bit drawn in here, but he's gained about 20 pounds since moving here! He is also much happier with Moose & Solomon (and the goats) as his only pasture mates.

December 2016

December 2016

March 2017

March 2017

May 2017 - He is clearly enjoying the pasture with green grass. :)

May 2017 - He is clearly enjoying the pasture with green grass. :)

July 2017 - Leaving for the new boarding barn. He has transformed quite a bit
since moving from Bad Barn (TM) last August. I'm looking forward to
what weekly work-outs will add to this, as well!

July 2017 - Leaving for the new boarding barn.

July 23, 2017: NEW BARN! His rump has really started to round out and with the weekly lessons (just walk/trot for now with a potential new lessee), his back is started to get some muscle back. I've also been doing some of the grooming "exercises" that Jen J taught me last summer at the SCA's 50th Year Celebratory event in Indiana.

July 23, 2017: His rump has really started to round out and with the weekly lessons (just walk/trot for now with a potential new lessee), his back is started to get some muscle back. I've also been doing some of the grooming "exercises" that Jen J taught me last summer at the SCA's 50th Year Celebratory event in Indiana.

Roman Peplos - Blue

Midwestern heat can be debilitating. So, instead of melting, Calontiri have decided to wear a lot of Roman clothing. Especially when made out of light linen, it breathes well and is very comfortable!

It was about time I got to making my own, so this is the result. I had help from several friends in fitting my fabric pattern out of some scrap mix I had. I then took that and made the blue Peplos (also known as a tunica or chiton) that you see below. The one main seam from armpit to hem is machine sewn. The rest is hand finished. I purchased the fibulae (pins at the shoulders) at Gulf Wars from Raymond's Quiet Press. I have the red enameled ones, because I knew that my first Peplos would be blue and I liked the contrast. There are two additional buttons on each side that I have permanently sewn to the sleeves. I did this so I didn't have to worry about putting 6 pins in each time I wanted to wear Roman, but it still gives that open look. The fabric is of course from Fabrics-Store.com. There was a sale on their IS003, Linen/Cotton blend, color: Ultramarine, so I jumped on that. I love this fabric.The drape is exactly what I was hoping for.

I used Countess Gwendolen-Isabella Stewart's pattern - many thanks to her for making such great instructions! The belt I'm using is wool tablet-woven trim that is actually slated for a different project, but worked well at the moment.

February 2014 - Making the fabric pattern, following Countess Gwen's instructions

July 2016 - Finished product! I actually finished it in 2015. It got put on hold for a while. And then this is the first time I remembered to get a good picture of it!
Roman Peplos with IS003 Ultramarine

Equestrian Resources

Madrone Equestrian Guild - LOVE the resources available here

Weiner-Gozen's Blog

Will's Commonplace Book Blog - Various subjects

Roman Resources

Roman Online Resources that I've come across in my research

Just a gathering of links for Roman Online resources.

Please let me know in the comments if these links are dead or broken so that I can fix them. Thanks!

Greek and Roman Textiles and Dress: An Interdisciplinary Anthology

House Barra - The Chiton and its Descendants

VRoma Project - Roman Clothing, Part I

VRoma Project - Roman Clothing, Part II

THL Tamar bat Avraham's Blog