The Italian Renaissance, which spanned over the years 1350 until about 1550, is usually defined as a rebirth, focusing on the revival of classical learning and an exhilarating sense of renewed human potential in the moral, political and creative spheres. This revival was accepted into the lives of bankers, merchants, and clerics however, it was the two institutions of the nobility and the church that played a key role in the dissemination and development of Renaissance ideas and values. These two institutions recognized sexual values which had tremendous influences on the innovative Renaissance painting and sculpture, the most important value was declared the familial one. Weddings and births were causes for great celebration and artists would create pieces to commemorate such occasions. The triumphant scene following a woman's achievement in birth is illustrated in a famous painting by Masaccio called A Birth Scene (1426). It shows a traditional birth scene with midwives bathing the infant and visits from female friends and relations (Welch, 287). It is interesting to note that these works of art were only commissioned for the birth of a son, rather than a daughter. The artwork commiserating mar

The Renaissance government strove to control the sexual identity of women through a legislative dress code in order to ensure the subordination of the female gender. Sumptuary laws were passed in an attempt to limit the number of gowns women might own, the cost of her fabrics and ornaments, and even to restrict the depth of the décolletage on dresses. Government official patrolled the streets, looking for women who had breached these laws. They were to remind these women that their sole duty was to subordinate their husbands and bear their children instead of spending their money on suggestive dresses and ornaments (Tannahill, 284). The Renaissance was a period of great riches in Italy, substantial profits were made from the Crusades, and Venice made money from the spice trade, but men seldom ceased complaining about the extravagance of women. The government feared that men avoided matrimony on account of these unaffordable expenses and unmanageable women instead of settling down to replenish the city with their offspring. The restrictions on women's dress were expected to form an outward manifestation of the inner subordination they were expected to adopt. Francesco Laurana's bust called Aragonese Princess (1490) was originally decorated with wax flowers and extensively painted, but in accordance with the restrictions imposed on women's clothing and ornamentation, the decorative features were removed to conform to the more modest ideal of a childbearing female.

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