Lucia Mondella – The Betrothed

The origin of this costume came to me while looking at current global issues; health, economics, and politics. These current events have connections to history represented through Italian literature. Including my desire in making a 17th century boned bodice.

Inspiration comes in the form of a book "The Betrothed" (I Promessi Sposi) by Alessandro Manzoni, 1840. Focusing on a young couple by the names Renzo and Lucia in 1630’s Piedmont, the couple longs to be married but face many obstacles. Many of these obstacles are of the historic events that connect the past to our present, growing poverty and plague being the most forthcoming. The third hurdle being the political crisis taking form in the Spanish occupation of Italy.

Following our protagonist Lucia Mondella, who is represented in the costume and book as a young bride with a “warrior’s peasant modesty.” Physically she is described to have dark hair, dressed in a bodice with floral embroidery. Her character is an example par excellence of goodness and virtue, almost to a fault. She is an object of desire yet her devotion and innocence lead others to action. Unfortunately, a victim of all kinds of misfortunes yet she never lost her faith. Regarded as passive and defenceless she would still unleash great strength to protect her morals. This set of morals creates the expectation of an ideal Italian woman. Just as a Madonna is iconized, I created my image of her through 19th century eyes, in a 17th century silhouette.