Drawings for Two Masquerade or Ballet Costumes ('Sospiri' and 'Baci') 1554 - 1627

Giovanni Battista Paggi created these pen and wash drawings for two masquerade or ballet costumes – called 'Sospiri' and 'Baci' – in late 16th century Italy. The sketches offer a glimpse into the spectacle and pageantry of Renaissance court life. Costume design flourished as elaborate masquerades and ballets became popular forms of entertainment among the aristocracy. The drawings show figures adorned in fanciful garments, capturing the era's taste for opulence and theatricality. As a port city with a wealthy merchant class and powerful families like the Doges, Genoa was ripe for the consumption of the arts. We can see the costumes contain symbolic elements, likely alluding to themes of love and desire, that would have resonated with contemporary audiences. By examining archival records, costume books, and accounts of court performances, we can uncover more about the social rituals and cultural values embedded in these designs, revealing the complex interplay between art and society in Renaissance Italy.