Self-fashioning

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Self-fashioning, a term introduced by Stephen Greenblatt (Renaissance Self-Fashioning,1980), is the creation of oneself according to a set of socially acceptable standards. A noble man was instructed to dress in the finest clothing he could afford, to be well versed and educated in art, literature, sports, and other culturally determined noble exercises, and to generally compose himself in a carefully intended manner. Additionally, the relationship between self-fashioning and the aesthetic mediums was a reciprocal one. Just as the art of creating oneself was highly influenced by the art and literature of the time, such as conduct books and religious iconography, such a concern for one's outwardly projected image was reflected in the portraiture of the time.

During the Renaissance the upper class practiced self-fashioning. Prescribed attire and behavior was created for the noblemen and women, and was represented through portraits. The ideological traits portraying masculinity were symbols of authority and power. Male rulers depicted themselves in armor or with weapons. The most important characteristic attributed to women was beauty. Beauty represents the concepts of purity, virtue and modesty. In portraits women illustrated these notion through idealized features, fancy dresses, and elaborate jewelry. The iconography of portraits displays the gender-specific qualities prescribed during the Renaissance through visual devices.

Consider, informally, as a book of conduct, The Book of the Courtier, by Baldassare Castiglione is one of the first texts that depicted ways and manners that individuals were to behave in society. As an informal book of conduct The Courtier included instructions on how people of the noble class were to dress, speak and general rules of interaction to follow in social situations. In his article, The Semiotics of Masculinity in Renaissance England, David Kuchta discusses the role of The Courtier concerning its influence on the self-fashioning of Renaissance England. Men of the noble class were to “create” themselves as a work of art, according to the conventions of dress and manner as set forth by the monarchs. Characteristics of this Renaissance self-fashioning involve the use of “feminine” aspects of dress and conduct. One was to conduct and dress in a way that reflected their position in society. One was not supposed to act in an affected manner, but present naturalness and nonchalance, or sprezzatura. In addition to this, The Courtier puts emphasis on the importance of not only trying to resemble one’s master, but actually trying to transform himself into is master in a way that exercises sprezzatura. This presents a key theme in self-fashioning: the conscious effort to strive to imitate a praised model in society.

For women, one of the most popular figures to embody was the Virgin Mary. Margaret R. Miles provides a thorough analysis of this influence-through-images of iconography and art in her article, The Virgin’s One Bare Breast. The bare breast symbolized nourishment in a time of famine. Depicting the Virgin Mary nursing the infant Christ encouraged women to aspire to provide the same nourishment for their own families and community. Miles goes on to explain that, although women were encouraged to strive to emulate the many virtues of the Virgin, they must also be aware that one could never fully achieve such a standard. Similarly, men were taught that they should follow in the image of Christ, which was believed to be more attainable.

Also See:

• literacy and learning
• Gendering the period eye
• semiotics of gender
• why gender