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Showing posts with label 17th century. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 17th century. Show all posts
Blue Silk Ballgown and Red SIlk womens stockings, with Gold thread embroidery
Bonjour Mes Amis! Recently I wrote a post (here) about visiting the new Resnick Pavilion in Los Angeles for the opening weekend. I was in awe of all of the beauty and history surrounding me. It was a spectacular experience and I am so excited to share these pics with you.
Edwardian Lace dress and kidskin gloves/A stunning uncut pattern on Silk
The first of the three exhibits that we visited was this amazing journey through time, "Fashioning Fashion" European dress through the ages. I cannot tell you just how incredible these items were in person.
L. Blue Mademoiselles Giroux Dress c. 1880 made in LImoges France made in the Princess Line, named after Princess Alexandria of Whales.
This stunning display exhibits European Dress from 1700~1915. All of the very most romantic eras are represented here and one could get lost in the glamour and the romance of it all.
I apologize for the hefty amout of photos in this post, I had a really hard time editing some out. I have loads more but decided to spare you! My best friend had my camera so I took these with my phone but you just can't hide the fact that the fashion was divine!
Fashion from some of the most famous and luxurious fashion houses and designers in history are on display: The House of Rouff, Émile Pingat, Giroux, and so many more. The above Pink gown is from the 1830's and is decorated with a sea of faux pearls that would weigh down the sheer overlay and make a delightful clinking noise when the lucky wearer would move. The faux pearls are glass filled with a mixture of fish scales and glue. The story behind this is remarkable, I could do an entire post over the discovery of this process by a French rosary maker.
I wish I could write about each of these pieces, however, I think I would both bore you and take hours to write. Each piece has a truly remarkable history and the process of creating these works of art are incredible.
The contents of these Silk~Velvet lined boxes are amazing! The larger box contains jeweled buttons for a mens suit from the 1700's, the missing ones are on display on the suit next to this box. The smaller boxes contain jeweled shoe buckles! If I could only just hold one for a moment! Too beautiful!!!
I have been holding back writing that "this photo is my favorite"because it feels like they all are but I really do think this one is my favorite. Those bustles are fantastic and the colors! Oh my!
18th century Robe à la Française. Cream Silk with Handpainted details. The colorful florals are woven in to the fabric but the Green/Yellow leaves and bows are handpainted. Just amazing!
The thing that struck me most about everysingle piece I saw was the detail, the hadmade aspect of everything, the fact that every pleat, bead, ruffle, and delicious piece of golden passementerie, has been perfectly placed is mind blowing. Seeing gowns and suits worn at the most luxurious courts in Europe was a special and treasured treat. The true luxury of the textiles, lush trimmings, and artistry of each piece is intoxicating.
All of these pieces and so much more (a vest from the Revolution in France, children's clothing, capes lined in ostrich feathers, etc) are currently on display at LACMA in Los Angeles until March. All Photos ~ Paris Atelier
Photo from the V&A ~Notice the diamnd teardrop~
Photo ~The Philadelphia Museum of Art~
Photo ~The Philadelphia Museum of Art~
These amazing little love tokens appeared between the 1790s and 1820s in the courts and upper crust households of England, Russia, France.
Photo ~The Philadelphia Museum of Art~
Photo ~The Philadelphia Museum of Art~
Most eyes are unidentifiable, however, there is one diamond-studded example marked with an Imperial Crown and initials "J.B." This piece can be traced back to Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's ne'er-do-well brother who was once the Emperor of Spain! So incredible!!
Photo~Te Lenore Dailey Collection~
“When full dressed she wore around her neck the barrenest of lockets, representing a fishy old eye, with no approach to speculation in it” – Charles Dickens, 1848
Photo ~Flickr~
Keys from the Bastille
I love, love, love the Marais, it is one of my favorite places to roam about. A great place there is the Musee Carnavalet. I always enjoy seeing the diverse items they have on display there and always great exhibitions. Here are some highlights. With all of the amazing museums packed into the city it's easy to overlook this one. Of course you go to the Louvre, the D'Orsay, etc. but this is a very nice way to spend the afternoon as well.
The Carnavalet Museum, is dedicated to the history of Paris, it is located near the Place de Vosges. The museum is built around two adjoining mansions: the sixteenth-century hôtel Carnavalet and the seventeenth-century hôtel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau. It contains over one-hundred rooms.
Pieces of old Paris walls ~ I love this
By MuchaThe Hôtel Carnavalet, after which the museum is named, was once the home of Madame de Sévigné, who wrote a series of famous letters to her daughter. It now hosts the museum’s collections from pre-historical times to the reign of Louis XVI, while the Hôtel Le Peletier Saint-Fargeau contains pieces dating from the French Revolution to the present day.
Re~creation of a Paris BallroomCould you just imagine all of us dressing up in our ball gowns, opera length gloves, diamonds and pearls, top hats, and tails! Oh to dream!
Some particularly interesting exhibits are:
Madame de Sévigné's Gallery;
The 20th century, Ballroom of the Hôtel de Wendel;
The Charles Le Brun Ceiling;
The Hotel d'Uzès Reception Room;
An ancient recipe for frog-leg soup, and;
Robespierre's final Letter
I just love this painting and this photoAlso there, a letter the little Dauphin was forced to write while being held captive (poor little thing), Marie Antoinette's shoes (which I posted in my last post). Also must sees are the salons and rooms of grand hotels that have long since disappeared. They are reproduced in every detail, the 19th century writer Marcel Proust's bedroom, a military tavern and a salon from the famous Cafe de Paris.
The museum is just as beautiful outside as it is insideThe famous painting of the doomed Queen Marie-Antoinette by A. Kucharski is also there, as are toys her children played with while in prison, as is some of the families furniture from the Tuileries that they used while being held there. However, just to see the buildings and petite garden are enough to entice a visit from me! I just love seeing how people lived before and to be in that environment, in a historical home (and such a grand one), it's pure heaven to me.
Have a wonderful night my friends, until tomorrow!
~Judith~
All photos via FlickrIf you know me, then you know I am infatuated with chandeliers. I love them in all colors, shapes, and sizes. What better place to get a chandelier fix than Versailles!?! I could write volumes on the history of them, the restoration of the famous chandeliers in the hall of mirrors, the story behind some of the orders for certain chandeliers, and the makers of these beautiful lights, but I figured I would give you a break from my long winded posts and simply leave with the photos. They speak for themselves. If you would like to read my last post on chandeliers here is the link Points de Lumiere.
During the restoration of the Hall of Mirrors
The Queen's bedroom
Restoration
Easily my favorite
What a pretty image
Bisou Mon Amis!
I don't know these people but they can jump high &have fun in the cold, I'm booking my next trip with them! I'll take Paris even in this storm, it's pure magic! Photo from USA Today all other photos via Flickr
Bonjour! I just heard that the Eiffel tower had to close today because of the snow brought in from the big storm they are having. Brrr...the pictures look icy, it's currently -7 C. My husband found this great web site http://www.paris-live.com/ and we watched the sun rise in Paris together just now! Not quite as romantic as being there but pretty darn romantic for being in our jammies and sitting at the computer! Okay, now for my regular post...
The Walls of Versailles, if only these walls could talk!
Vernis style wall
These are all examples of the walls found in Versailles
The wall hangings are changed with the seasons. Many of them are original and many of them have been carefully reconstructed from shreds and pieces of the originals using the exact same techniques and occasionally even using the same manufacturer that they used so long ago!
In the Gardens
The writing is on the wall! Incredible
The King's chamber
Along the water
When the revolutionaries stormed Versailles they were said to be looking to for the walls made of Gold and Diamonds, they might not have found Diamonds but Gold indeed!
I remember trying to count how many different kinds of marble there was around the chateau! That's just crazy there are way too many to count. The colors of the marble are exquisite.
This is my favorite
I am in awe, even the arches are made of marble. It makes me wish we could see the original Trianon they called the "Porcelain Trianon"
What a contrast from the opulence inside but still so perfect and beautiful
I remember seeing these, the whole room is lined with them and each panel has a different theme (all just gorgeous), however, I cannot recall the room they lined. I do know there is a story here (I will do some research). I love this color.
The best part about the walls in Versailles is that many are actually secret doorway! For example in the library there is a bookcase (faux) that opens to reveal a hidden doorway and of course we all know of the Queens escape through the hidden door in her bedroom.
A closer picture of the wallcovering. I think I am going to try to hang silk wallcovering in my Powder Room. Growing up the walls in my Mom's bathroom were done in a beautiful Grey textured Silk (almost like Raw Silk but not quite). It was so pretty and reminded me of the walls in Versailles, so opulent, and in a bathroom!?!
The wife of the Dauphin's apartment, notice the Parrot so chic for the time period.If you have any info or great stories about the walls in Versailles I would love to hear about it!
Well, I could go on for days with these walls and more so I have to stop myself here. More tomorrow, I hope you enjoyed it!
Bisou Mon Amis!
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