Sprezzatura
What does this delightful 16th-century word mean and why has it become synonymous with Italian fashion? Just ask Giorgio Armani.
Submitted by Carol Faenzi
"Everyone knows the difficulty of things that are exquisite and well done, so to have facility in such things gives rise to the greatest wonder."
Baldassare Castiglione, noble, diplomat, and poet, who lived during the Renaissance, first coined the term sprezzatura when he said this:
“The most universal rule for acquiring grace is to flee as much as possible affectation, and to make use in all things a certain sprezzatura, which conceals art and presents everything said and done as something brought about without laboriousness, and almost without giving it any thought.”
We are all familiar with the Italian obsession with “la bella figura,” which means making a good impression at all times.
It’s no wonder this unique word, sprezzatura, that carries the meaning of “nonchalance” has attached itself to Italian fashion, particularly men’s fashion.
All one must do is walk around the streets of the major fashion cities of Italy such as Milan, Florence, or Venice, to see this in action.
There is almost a careless quality, a scarf flung around the neck that looks like an afterthought, when in actuality, a lot of effort was made to create that very impression.
Or breaking “the rules” by donning a color or piece of clothing that seems crazy to wear but works. There is no randomness to these looks.
“In the end, the most difficult thing to do is the simplest thing.” – Giorgio Armani
But the Art of Sprezzatura isn’t confined to fashion.
Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Titian were all masters of “effortless mastery”.
Notable women have made sprezzatura contributions as well. Catherine de ’Medici brought the sophistication of Italian dining to the French when she was Queen in the 1500s. The simple fork is not so simple.
Or an earlier Catherine, the very young mystic St. Catherine of Siena, who rendered the Pope speechless when she went in person to confront him about healing the schism of the Church, recommending he resign if he could not use his power willingly. The Pope returned to Rome. Catherine is one of the patron saints of Italy.
A modern woman, Maria Montessori revolutionized how children learn, creating what we are familiar with today as educational toys. It seemed simple, but it took a masterful approach to create such a shift in thinking!
Recommended Reading
Sprezzatura: 50 Ways Italian Genius Shaped the World
Authors: Peter D’Epiro and Mary Desmond Pinkwish
