Subject Area
Art History/Criticism/Conservation
Abstract
This thesis examines a focused group of Domenico Ghirlandaio’s portraits of women from the Medici–Tornabuoni–Sassetti circle in Florence (c. 1475–1490), arguing that these works construct, rather than simply represent, an ideal of courtly femininity. Situating portraiture within systems of social regulation, it demonstrates how comportment, dress, and visual conventions disciplined the female body. Clothing functioned as a material technology that structured posture, gesture, and movement, shaping how women appeared both socially and pictorially.
Through analysis of panel portraits and fresco cycles, particularly in the Tornabuoni Chapel, the study shows how controlled formats, gestures, and surfaces produced figures that embody modesty, restraint, and social order. These images are understood as collaborative productions shaped by the sitter, the painter, and the artisans responsible for designing and constructing garments. Ultimately, the thesis argues that ideal femininity in fifteenth-century Florence was materially engineered at the intersection of fabric, flesh, and image, transforming social expectations into visible form.
Degree Date
Spring 2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
Art History
Advisor
Adam Jasienski
Second Advisor
Amy Freund
Third Advisor
Randall Griffin
Number of Pages
102
Format
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Recommended Citation
Stephens, Emmerson, "Clothing, Comportment, and Court Femininity in Domenico Ghirlandaio's Portraits of Elite Florentine Women (c. 1475-1490)" (2026). Art History Theses and Dissertations. 29.
https://scholar.smu.edu/arts_arthistory_etds/29
