Medieval and Renaissance Theatrical Costumes were directly influenced by the societal economy, religion, and social class. Theater productions and costumes also had a significant impact on society during these periods. During both the Medieval and Renaissance periods costumes were most important in providing information about the story, the character presented and the social status of the actors.
Costumes used during theatrical productions of the Medieval and the Renaissance time periods were an integral part of the overall production and created a visual impact for the audience. It is clear that costumes played the greatest role in the productions of these periods. Costumes from the Medieval Period evolved as acceptance of theater productions increased through the Renaissance Period. The fabrics changed, more accessories adorned the costumes and the symbolism of Royal colors changed.
Medieval Theater and the costumes were greatly influenced by the Catholic Church, in fact, theater reemerged in the context of the church. Ecclesiastical garments, robes, and vestments worn by priests were often in theater productions as costumes. Mystery, Miracles, and Morality were the three types of plays. These plays would be four or five scenes and would travel throughout the town performing each scene in a different area. Mystery Plays dramatized Bible stories. Initially, the actors were the priests and monks of that town and the costumes were the priest’s own clothing and church vestments used in the liturgy. Miracle Plays would depict the life of a saint or biblical figure and church garments were used for the costumes. Morality plays taught people how to live according to virtue and the rules of the church. Costumes were used to personify virtues and evil in each of these themes. There would be props and small simple stages, but the costumes were the greatest stage tool to assist in getting the production message across and capture the interest of the audience.
The fabrics of the ecclesiastical garments were rich fabrics often silk and brocade with gold threading and details. Simple robes of monks and priests were also used. The garments chosen depended on the character and story that was being portrayed.
As time progressed and the scripts became more secular, often townspeople would become involved in the production. As lay performers entered the production arena, they would assume the responsibility for any costumes not owned by the church. At this time the fabrics used for costumes during the medieval period expanded and included wool, silk, linen, velvet, and fur. English and French merchants and scholars brought back exotic velvet and silk fabrics from Italy, Spain, the Far East, and the Turks. England had the best wool market and there were varying grades of wool. Scarlet was the most expensive wool, dyed with Kermes, the most expensive dye. Wool was used to making almost every article of clothing during this period and the finer fabrics were used only by the wealthy and for church vestments, predominantly in the top layer of clothing. The top layer was often simple in design but elaborate in fabric. Often a T- shaped tunic design, similar to the priest vestments or a long velvet or brocade robe was the top layer. Leather and ribbon were used as belts to alter the look of the costume and assist in fitting the actor. The luxury fabrics were often brocaded with long floral patterns and were worn only by the rich who could afford them. Both the role of the character and the social status of the actor determined how elaborate and elegant a costume they would wear. During this period kings, queens, and royal family members would act in drama productions. Royal blue was worn by royalty so they could be easily identified on stage. Cloth of gold or with elaborate gold embroidery was the ultimate status symbol. The role and the costume of an actor would inform the audience of their social status.
Production characters portrayed would often include priests, angels, martyrs, biblical figures, and supernatural beings. Contemporary religious art of the time provided inspiration for biblical characters such as Daniel, Herod, the Virgin Mary, and assorted devils. To differentiate between male and female characters the female masks had larger eyes and mouths. Supernatural characters would always wear masks. If the characters were associated with heavenly beings the masks would be gilded with gold leaf which glistened. Angelic costumes consisted of elegant church robes with wings attached and a gold leaf mask. The gilded mask would glisten and was thought to give a sense of delight to the audience. If the character was the devil or a demonic character the masks were made to look like birds of prey, grotesque monsters with animal heads, or creatures with horns, claws, scales, and tails.
A great deal of effort went into the creation of masks. The mask maker would achieve the colors necessary for the desired visual impact using natural items such as roots, tree bark, herbs, vegetables, nuts, and flowers to dye the masks. Shades of purple would be achieved using wood from the East India trees. The vibrant red for a devil’s mask would be achieved using rubia tinetorum root or grana from insects. Kermes was the most expensive dye and was made from crushed insects that lived on oak trees. This dye produced the deepest crimson color.
Medieval Theater costumes and props changed over time as laypeople became more involved, guilds emerged and the economy grew. Often a guild would use their work with a theater production as a way to showcase their skill. This was a form of early advertising for various guilds and craftsmen. At this point in time actors and their families would often create the costumes needed to supplement the church vestments. There still was not much use of background scenery but the embellishment of costumes became grand and so did costume accessories. Stage fittings and props also improved. Many people were involved in the creation of the productions.
In the Eleventh Century professional tailors began to move away from the simple tunic and experiment with ways to make clothing fit more closely. The initial result was awkward and tight-fitting clothing around the upper body with sleeves that were often too loose and too long. This type of clothing naturally entered the theater when actors wore their own clothing.
By the end of the Fourteenth Century, the church still provided many of the costumes and other accessories but it became less active in theater affairs. The towns and individuals began to take control of all aspects of theater productions and theater productions began to change.
The Renaissance was a time of rediscovery! Renaissance theater was prevalent throughout Europe with England, France, and Italy each having their own style of theater and costume. During the Renaissance, the costumes continued to be even more important than the text. Beginning in the Fourteenth Century more secular theater productions emerged and surrounded the Royal Courts. Theater developed and was a popular form of celebration. Throughout Europe in England, France, and Italy, nobility staged lavish pageants to entertain their guests, including theater in wedding celebrations and in royal entry processions. Costumes for these pageants depicted gods, mythological characters, animals, and emotions of joy and hope. Designers became more involved and their objectives were to captivate and charm the audience. The Italian designers led in these lavish pageants and included prominent artists such as Leonardo da Vinci.
The Elizabethan Theater, also known as English Renaissance Theater, consisted of plays in the style of William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and Ben Johnson. In Elizabethan
In Theater the costumes had a wide variety of options including those portraying men wearing their own clothing with embellishments as needed. Men’s costumes always included a shirt, stockings, and a corset that were topped with one or two more layers. The top layer of lower garments could include breeches or slops, a knicker-like pant that ends just below the knee, Venetians that are very similar to breeches but are tighter at the bottom and have a baggy top, or trunk hose which are very full shorts. As a top layer over the shirt, a man could wear a doublet which is a tight-fitting coat, or jerkin which is a man’s sleeveless vest, or an overcoat. Often a stiff high collar or ruff which is a stiff collar of ruffled fabric would be worn, sometimes with a river which is a triangular fabric below the neck or ruff.
Boys ages 13 to 19 played the role of women and wore undergarments, corsets, gowns, ruffs, hats, and shoes. The gowns were very full and elaborate. They often had to bone to keep them stiff, farthingales which were boned, hooped or padded underskirts, decorative foreparts at the split of the skirt, and bum-rolls which are bolsters that would rest on the actors’ hips and support the weight of the skirt. The young boys were actually put on special diets and given special exercises to maintain a slim feminine figure.
Costumes during the Elizabethan era were predominantly used to make up for the lack of scenery, set, and props on the stage; thus, why the skirts were full and elaborate, sleeves were sometimes ballooned on male and female costumes, and the bodice was tight and fabrics were rich. The productions were important to Elizabethan society during this time because they offered a form of self-expression. They also helped to inform, educate and entertain the common class who were less educated and often illiterate.
The Renaissance saw an increase in theater companies and costumes remained the predominant visual appeal of the productions in England, France, and Italy; therefore, they were usually bright in color, very expensive, and visually entrancing. Fabrics used during the Renaissance included silk, satin, brocade, taffeta, cotton, gold cloth, and ermine. The wealthiest people and theater companies would incorporate precious stones and gold threads into the fabric of the costumes. Fabrics and embellishments used in the costumes would indicate the wealth of the theater company and the quality of their productions. The classical theatre was revived and included tragic, comic, and satiric dramas. Pantomimes that included song and dance also emerged. Plays often were fast-paced and would have short runs, because of this there was sometimes not enough time to create period-specific costumes for all of the actors. Less significant characters often wore their own clothing regardless of the time period they were playing. Costumes continued to be used to reflect hierarchy. The color and fabric continue to let the audience know the social status of each character. The color for Royalty during the Renaissance was purple and royalty would be easily identified. The most expensive and elaborate costumes were given to the higher class.
Sumptuary laws mandated the fabrics and the colors that could be worn by whom so that a person’s social class would be recognizable at first glance. Sumptuary laws also extended to the furs each class could wear. Peasants were allowed to wear furs that were easy to attain such as rabbits and squirrels, leaving the rarest furs such as ermine for aristocrats. The only exception to this law was actors. If an actor belonged to a licensed company they could dress above their status for specific roles in productions as needed.
Color, fabric, and adornments were also used to set the tone, plot, and feeling of productions. Designers could use these items to enhance comedies, tragedies, and romantic productions. Masks were also a very large part of costumes and character depiction. Designers continued to want to appeal to the eye of the Renaissance public and used the most lavish fabrics and gold threads possible. Creativity was at a high point.
The Sumptuary law actually benefitted theater companies. Often servants would inherit their master’s clothing. Because the law prohibited the servants from dressing beyond their socioeconomic class, they would sell their inherited clothing to the theater companies. Actors and theater companies would also inherit clothing from actors who passed. This resulted in theater companies having a stock of costumes.
Costumes were usually not made to fit the character but were selected from the theater company stock. Sometimes characters were given parts based on the costume that would fit them. Many actors had their own costumes and would act in productions from the time period of the costumes they owned.
Throughout Europe, there was a great deal of progress in theater and costumes during the Sixteenth through the Eighteenth Centuries. The church had long given up control, which resulted in the emergence of various forms of theater and with that some variety in the costumes.
In 1589 Harmony of the Spheres was produced by the sophisticated Florentine court. It was a spectacular type of masque that included music and was the forerunner to opera. Etchings from the 1600s depict groups of dancers in towering plumed Classical helmets, Roman costumes, and body armor with Roman labels hung from the cuirass over breeches. The Renaissance developed these labels into the tunneler, an exaggerated ornate skirt. Every item of this costume was decorated with curved ornaments, flowers, vines, and animal and human forms. During a visit to Italy, Inigo Jones was strongly influenced by the Florentine specialist and in the early part of the Seventeenth Century transformed the costumes of English court masques and entertainments.
Inigo Jones inspired the English design to follow the Italian pattern. Plumes were in helmets; breastplates were molded to the body and Roman kilts were mixed with modified elements of contemporary dress. The dress of the period was followed more closely by ladies’ costumes, but the fabric was more transparent and low-cut bodices were prevalent. The embroidery, jeweled luxury, and fine headpieces of the costumes were extensive. The cost of costumes remained the responsibility of the wearers; however, it is known that often the best part of the actor’s costumes were gifts from wealthy theater patrons. Sometimes a contemporary costume would be mixed with a more detailed embellished costume similar to those inspired by Jones. The audience accepted a mixture of styles and periods. Certain famous characters became known by a particular type of costume.
The Commedia Dell’ Arte emerged during the Sixteenth Century in Italy. It was developed by theater groups that already existed. This was a popular street comedy that was presented by multiple characters and types of characters who traveled throughout Italy and Europe. It was particularly popular in the French court and in the Seventeenth Century was actually more popular in France than in Italy. The comedies were improvised and usually based on ancient Roman domestic dramas and situations from ancient Roman mimes. The Commedia actors would portray stock characters who were identified by their traditional costumes and masks. Sometimes the Commedia actors’ masks were grotesque and fanciful, but usually, a leather full or half mask covered their face. The Harlequin and Columbine emerged during this era wearing black masks that covered only their eyes. The masquerade mask was later developed based on this. There were a variety of masks used depending on the type of performance and the wealth of the actors, but one thing is certain, there were definitely masks worn as part of the costume. The players’ costumes evolved from garments that represented different Italian provinces. Exaggerations in form and color were used to make the costumes more decorative or funny. These simple costumes were ideal because they identified the character but allowed the actors freedom of movement for acrobatics and dancing. Commedia Dell’Arte performers also performed in Royal Courts during which time they would wear more elaborate costumes. Commedia Dell’ Arte was an important art form that influenced the works of William Shakespeare, Jean-Baptiste Moliere, and Jean-Antoine Watteau.
Costumes for Shakespeare’s plays consisted of a mixture of various periods. The audience accepted this as a standard convention. Actors performed in the contemporary dress of the Elizabethan period, which either they owned or was provided by a patron of the theater. All of the actors were men and boys who played both male and female roles. Occasionally a helmet or breastplate would be worn in Shakespeare’s plays to identify a soldier. Classical draperies might be worn by fairies or nymphs.
In 1660 the restoration of the English monarchy led to the opening of theaters again. The introduction of actresses was a great innovation of this time. The Elizabethan boy actors were replaced by talented, flamboyant, and confident ladies. Historic records indicate that people who had lavish clothing lent costumes to these women. The theater wardrobe keepers also helped the female newcomers select costumes from their available stock.
Many of the same principles applied to costumes as theater productions progressed. Most actors and especially actresses tried to dress as fashionably as possible. Actors and actresses provided their own costumes or wore clothing from their own wardrobe except for specialty items or wardrobe pieces that would be provided by the theater. A specialty that would sometimes be used to represent a character. As an example, an Eastern character may wear a turban or a soldier may wear a plumed helmet.
The French Renaissance costumes were similar in many ways to the English Renaissance costumes but the theater was slower to develop. Theater productions, even religious, were still not allowed in 1548. The French Academy was formed in 1629 and informally and 1635 formally and set the standards for writers to follow, which influenced every aspect of theater production. Only two forms of drama were allowed, tragedy and comedy, and the two types were not allowed to mix the elements. Drama must be written and performed to teach a moral lesson and the use of violence on the stage was forbidden. The acting companies were smaller than the English companies having only about 10 to 15 actors while the English had more. Actors of the French Renaissance were expected to provide their own costumes and costume pieces. One major difference is initially the use of masks was not allowed. Actors usually wore contemporary clothing of the day as costumes and alter it slightly to look like a different time period if needed. Eventually, the Italian Renaissance Theater had an influence on French Renaissance Theater, and the rules were not strictly enforced.
In conclusion, it is clear Medieval and Renaissance costumes were a very important part of theater and of society in each era. Costumes were both influenced and impacted by society throughout the centuries. The economy, religious beliefs, education of the common people, and entertainment of every class were dramatically impacted by the costumes. Additionally, we see the direct influence religion, economy, trade, and social status had on costumes. The costumes clearly evolved through the centuries but in each century, they made productions come alive for the audience. Costumes were an integral part of the story and were used to identify the characters and the actors. They were the predominant element that added visual interest to the stage. It was the costumes, more than the text that attracted people to the theater and helped them to understand and learn from various forms of theater productions. Costumes were so important they made their way into the Courts of Royalty, the wills of the wealthy, and the laws that governed society.