Treasures of the Modern Renaissance: Milanese Tall Hat

With Da Vinci: The Genius Exhibition opening to the public this weekend we are getting ready to transport you to another time: The Renaissance. In the Grand Lobby at MOSI you can find an exhibit entitled Treasures of the Modern Renaissance which is a collection of Renaissance art pieces created by modern Florida artists. We’ll be highlighting pieces and artists from this exhibit here during the run of the Da Vinci exhibit.

Milanese Tall Hat 1540: Stiffened Felt, adorned with pearls and feathers.

The Milanese were exposed to Spanish and German clothing styles as a city along a key trade route. This hat, worn at an angle over a coif, is an example of the Milanese attempt to incorporate the fashions of other regions. The geometric patterns of the beading are borrowed from Moorish designs found in Spain.

About the Artist: Vandy Pacetti-Tune

Vandy Pacetti-Tune is a teacher/librarian and researcher residing in Auburndale, Florida. As a hatter, Ms. Tune recreates hats from Italian Renaissance portraiture. Vandy Pacetti-Tune is also known as Lady Franca Donato, a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism.