Eleonora ('Dianora') di Don Garzia di Toledo replica renaissance girdle belt

I have made bronze and gold plated brass multiple layered components for this piece and adorned them with Swarovski crystals. There are pewter quatre foil ouches on each connector and each piece is connected with faux pearl beading The central pendant features a large baroque shell pearl and cold enamel detail. 

 

"Eleonora was a tall young woman, charming and beautiful, of becoming presence and endowed with courtly manners and virtuous habits." However her life was short lived with a sad end.

Eleonora di Garzia di Toledo or Leonor Álvarez de Toledo Osorio (March 1553 – 10 July 1576), more often known as "Leonora" or "Dianora", was the daughter of García Álvarez de Toledo, 4th Marquis of Villafranca, Duke of Fernandina. Leonora was born in Florence, where she was brought up by Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and his wife Eleanor of Toledo, her aunt and namesake. Betrothed to their son Pietro at the age of 15, she blossomed under the wing of Pietro's older sister, the artistic patron Isabella, into a vivacious and witty beauty. Her marriage, like Isabella's, was not a success, and she followed her mentor's example of taking lovers. For this reason, Pietro had her brought in 1576 to the country retreat of Cafaggiolo, where he strangled her to death with a dog leash. Cosimo's successor, Francesco I, tacitly approved the murder, and Pietro was never brought to justice for it.

 

The belt will come wrapped in rose tissue paper and an organza bag.

 

Please note the gown I have used in my photography is made by The Tudor Royalty Experience and Tudor Queens wardrobe.