Baba Studio Strikes Again!

I've featured Baba Studio before on my blog, but they've struck gold again (and always do!) with their prototype new Evelyn De Morgan wrap, and Burne-Jones corset (left model, picture 2, click picture to see larger).

Sadly, it is my understanding that they haven't successfully found a way to produce the Burne-Jones corset for available sale, but they are working on making a new line of Pre-Raphaelite high quality wraps for sale in their store soon.

Baba Studio has a really great graphic arts eye for knowing what artworks will work in what mediums, and that knowledge really shines through in this corset and wrap.

Pre-Raphaelite Tattoos

I still have more to say about the Aesthetic Movement, rest assured, but today I thought I'd share a few tattoos inspired by Pre-Raphaelite and associated artists. A friend, who shall remain unnamed until her permission is obtained to share, just got a new tattoo that was apparently inspired by William Morris. The idea appealed to me so much, I wanted to search online for more Brotherhood tattoos. Surprisingly, there aren't very many!

A gorgeous tattoo inspired by William Morris:

This one is based on his Willow pattern. I love how very organic it is.

This one is based on Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market:

The below two are inspired by a William Morris poem.

LOVE is enough: though the World be a-waning,

And the woods have no voice but the voice of complaining,

Though the sky be too dark for dim eyes to discover

The gold-cups and daisies fair blooming thereunder,

Though the hills be held shadows, and the sea a dark wonder,

And this day draw a veil over all deeds pass'd over,

Yet their hands shall not tremble, their feet shall not falter;

The void shall not weary, the fear shall not alter

These lips and these eyes of the loved and the lover.

by William Morris(1834-1896)

Finally, there's this incredible sleeve of Waterhouse's Ophelia:

Burne-Jones had his own opinion of the famous "tattooed lady" whom he sketched:

But I think the Brotherhood would approve of the above gorgeous tattoos!

The Oscar Wilde / Patience / Aesthetic Teapot

So, lately I've been reading a lot about the late Victorian philosophical and cultural movement of Aestheticism. The definition of the movement, according to the Philosophy Dictionary is the "doctrine associated with late 19th-century writers and artists, including Walter Pater, James McNeill Whistler, and especially Oscar Wilde. It holds that the appreciation of art and beauty is the highest aim of human life, and especially that the pursuit of such experience is not constrained by ordinary moral considerations. Art itself serves no ulterior moral or political purpose. The ‘Aesthetic Movement’ was a useful reaction against the didactic religious and moral art of the time and helped artists and critics to concentrate upon the formal and internal qualities of works of art."

Although not all of the Pre-Raphaelites were Aesthetes, their art was rather central to the movement. Rossetti's penchant for purchasing blue and white china started a collecting craze, and in Burne-Jones' biography written by his wife, he lamented that sunflowers had become such a "trend" (they were a symbol of Aestheticism) and emphasized that his love for sunflowers predated the movement. The work of William Morris (and the creation of Red House) is often mentioned in articles on Aestheticism as well.

Anyway, Aestheticism and the Pre-Raphaelites were quite closely related, so this week I wanted to do a few posts on Aestheticism.

First I had to feature this famous teapot. The Oscar Wilde / Patience / Aesthetic teapot (can be found using all three search terms, but it's mostly known simply as the Aesthetic teapot) was made as a reaction to the bold and unique fashion and personality of Oscar Wilde, the Aesthetic Movement's "poster child." Any counter-cultural movement will encounter its critics and its parodies, and one form of parody was this teapot, made to resemble an Aesthetic dandy. One major criticism of Aestheticism was that it was demasculinizing, and the statement made with this teapot certainly would be viewed today as more than a little intolerant. But I have to admit, I find the man depicted on it utterly charming.

"Probably the most famous figural teapot is the "Aesthetic" teapot made in 1882. The clever, two-sided pot depicts a man on one side, a woman on the other. It was inspired by the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta "Patience."

The teapot, made by the Royal Worcester pottery in England, is difficult to clean. The handle and spout made pouring tea difficult. The head was the removable cover, and the tea was poured from a hole in the figure's hand."

Written on the bottom of the teapot is the words "Fearful consequences through the laws of Natural Selection and Evolution of living up to one's Teapot."

Note the sunflower on the man's side of the teapot, and the lily on the woman's. All sorts of parodies featured the doe-eyed gazing at these flowers on the part of Aesthetes. Also note the gorgeous smocking on the woman's gown, which was often featured on Aesthetic gowns.

When I read that this teapot was not one-of-a-kind, but mass produced, I thought to myself "well perhaps I can save up and someday purchase one of them." Silly me. After some searching, I discovered a listing on Christies for a teapot that sold at auction in 2001. The final hammer price? $11,163. That would buy a lot of tea.

Pre-Raphaelite Cartoons

Thanks to Art Magick for letting me post these wonderful Victorian cartoons parodying the art of some artists we may know around here.

Scene at a Hot-Whisky-and-Water House. "Now then, altogether, my piping bullfinches!" Chorus---

A caricature of Waterhouse's 'Circe' taken from an 1891 edition of 'Judy'. 'Judy' was a 19th century satirical magazine, a rival to the better known 'Punch'

A lamentation from the satirical magazine Punch upon reviewing an exhibition at London's Grosvenor Gallery.

From "The G.G.G., or Grosvenor Gallery Guide"

"Once more on our "Gee-Gee," and "yet we are not Hobby!" which might be what the kettle in the fender said to the fire-irons. Now for the G.G. (occasionally) Guy'd. We burn - burn-jones - with excitement to see what that eminent Pagan Aesthetic has to show us. We dash at the Catalogue. We rush at the Busy "B.'s" in the Index. Heavens! From "BALL" to "BYWATER" without a BURNE-JONES. Stay! Is he modestly under "J."? No. JACKLING and JOPSON - I beg their pardons, I should have JOPLING and JACKSON exhaust that portion of the alphabet between them. "What, no JONES! So he died, and she very imprudently," &c., &c.

O where, and O where is my little BURNE-JONES?
O where on earth can he be?
With his tinsel and gold and his sage-green tones,
He's not in this Galleree!

From 'Punch', June 25, 1881


Never fear, Punch found Burne-Jones the following year and came up with another pun:

'Take me, Take my trunk". By E. Burne-Jones, or 'Ty-Burn Jones' for the deadly liveliness of the figures.

Punch, May 20, 1882

Raimon Bundo's Gowns

Thanks to Merle, who sent me info on this amazing designer.

Raimon Bundo is a bridal fashion company, and boy, is their work amazing. Well, most of the work I admire the most seems to be done by the designer, Ivonne Ruiz. According to the website, in slightly awkward English translation:

"They are pioneers in the use of prints on wedding dresses, which they have been doing for several collections, of which we should highlight the one inspired by the Renaissance (Renacer). His designer Ivonne Ruiz insists on illustrating some of her gowns using images of the various pre-Raphaelite painters, thus invoking the spirit of Romeo and Juliet. This group of painters (1848) were great at evoking antiquity by adopting the techniques and styles of the painters who were predecessors of Raphael."

In a recent fashion show, the influence of the Pre-Raphaelites was inarguable. First there is this gown, sent to me by Merle:



It may be hard to see, (click all pictures to enlarge, as always!!) but the bodice features Waterhouse's Windflowers.

But that's not all. The same fashion show featured a gorgeous backdrop of Burne-Jones' Last Sleep of Arthur in Avalon, seen below:


And the above gown also features what looks to me like a print of Rossetti's The Beloved on the bodice:

And this one looks like Rossetti's A Sea Spell:

The runway also featured gorgeous gowns not screened with images:


And elsewhere on the site, one can see other amazing fabric art gowns featuring Botticelli and other artists:

I also loved the gowns more directly inspired by Art Nouveau jewelry (especially since I just saw the exhibit featured in the last entry). These gowns below look like they could be from a Mucha painting directly:




The grand finale, however, is to view the video that plays on this page. Each gown (and jewelry!) that walks down the runway takes my breath away a little bit more, until I'm positively lightheaded from beauty.

Thank you, Merle, for sharing this dose of incredible gorgeousness with us!!

Imperishable Beauty

This past Saturday, two friends and I made a return pilgrimage to the Cincinnati Art Museum for the Imperishable Beauty exhibit of Art Nouveau jewelry. I had wanted to visit this exhibit in Boston in 2008 when we were there for my honeymoon, but it didn't work out. Then the MFA Boston brought the exhibit to me! Cincinnati was the only other location for this amazing collection of exquisitely detailed jewelry.

No photographs were allowed at the Cincinnati museum, but I did catch this photo of a pearled dog collar before I realized:

Can you imagine how a dog collar like that survived to be shared today?

I also found these images from the exhibit on Flickr.



The event also featured a few Mucha posters, which my friends and I enjoyed:

(Note: These posters were in an area of items owned by Cincinnati, so photography was allowed)

But the highlight of the exhibit by far to me was my viewing of my first Morris & Co. / William Morris textile. I was giddy to see his handiwork in person for the first time.


I even posed next to my favorite pattern, Peacock and Dragon. I had no idea the pattern was so HUGE on this one! The stand said that it was made for a wall covering. If only....

Salon Romantique

Recently, I noticed a few of my friends on Facebook joining a group with an intriguing name. This morning, one of the two co-founders of the group sent me a friend request, and I was able to talk to him a little more about the group.

I speak of The Salon Romantique, a group with the manifesto to...

• Redefine art today with an apropos of logic
• Create a new cultural movement in fine art.
• Challenge the rethinking of the romantic period in a cyber realm of thought.
• Bring artists together in a harmonious measure enwtined with a new spirituality of grace and form, music and light.

Or, as Francis Willey summarizes, "I am trying to bring back a new romanticism in art-create culture and grace in a cgi realm."

I'm quite enthusiastic not only about the quality of the work presented, but the concept of a new group of artists rebelling against the status quo, as we all know the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood did. The quality in the group is outstanding, featuring gorgeous art.

The group was co-founded by Francis A Willey and Mark Sink. Some of Francis' beautiful photographic work is seen below.

Host of Empyrean

Ode

A Sigh From Rosebud

The below photograph by Mark Sink still blows me away. I know it isn't a period photo, but part of me still cannot believe it.