University of Virginia Library

Costumes.

At Sadler's Wells the costume and scenery of this play were appropriate to the period of Francis the First, which is some years later than the actual date of Manfredi's murder. This departure from strict chronology is unobjectionable, when, as at Sadler's Wells, strict consistency is maintained in the dresses, architecture, and decoration of the piece.

In strict propriety, the costume of the Duke and nobles should consist of short, brightly-coloured jerkins, reaching just below the waist, with rather full sleeves, slashed, and confined at the wrists, embroidered belts round the waist, coloured tight hose, often worn of a different colour in the two legs, and velvet shoes. Short mantles may be worn by the young nobles. Ascolti, Malatesta, and the elder guests, may, with propriety, wear long velvet or silk gowns, of purple, crimson, or other rich colours, with borders of fur. The hair should be worn full and long, in the style familiar to us from Raphael's earlier pictures. The head-dress of the younger men is a small coloured velvet cap, with a raised edge, often scalloped, and ornamented with a chain and medal.

The Fool, of course, wears a motley suit, with a hood like that worn by Shakespeare's fools. His second dress should be a long gown, of sober colour. Fiordelisa's dress should be white, or dove-coloured, with scalloped sleeves and a tight body. The Duchess's costume, of the same cut, should be of velvet, slashed, and embroidered with gold. She may wear a gold net; a silk, or chenille net, would also be appropriate to Fiordelisa.