And sew on, and sew forth......

I have begun watching a new lecture series on Henry VIII. Extremely interesting. In setting up a background of Henry, the lecturer remarks that of all the English kings, in fact of all the kings throughout history, Henry VIII always jumps to mind, if not first among them all, at least among the top ten. A towering figure, physically and historically, Henry looms large!

In fact, from an 18th Century perspective, Henry was one of the most popular figures to emulate at the Masquerades, costume parties/masqued balls, that the nobles at court enjoyed in the 1700's.

The lecturer of the series made reference to a book of sewing patterns that courtiers could refer to when planning their "get up!" Called the "Collection of the Dresses of Different Nations, Ancient to Modern (1757-1772)", it was compiled by Thomas Jefferys, who was originally the cartographer to King George III.  Jefferys lived from 1719 to about 1772, and was quite a draftsman and artist. His maps are very well known, but his drawings of all kinds of native dress are truly beautiful. He captures different walks of life from many parts of the globe, including noblemen and common men alike. The complete work is in four volumes! 

At that time, there was quite an interest in the Middle East and things "Turkish". Remember Mozart's opera, Abduction from the Seralio", the seralio another name for harem. The story takes place in Turkey, or at least, in far off exotic lands of the Ottoman Empire.  

With Mardi Gras here, it begs the question, who will have a costume party?              And what will one wear?

 

 

Picture This!

I have been watching a wonderful lecture series on the History of European Art, from 800AD to the birth of modern art and the early 1900's. 48 lectures in all, they are fascinating, with a very accomplished and knowledgeable professor from the Smithsonian Art Institute explaining the most important and historically significant pieces of scultpure, paintings, drawings through the ages.

I found the section on the "Salon" very interesting, as far as art and the 18th Century is concerned. Officially established in 1725 in Paris, the Salon was an art exhibition from the Academie des Beaux-Arts, it became the greatest annual or twice-yearly art event in the Western world. It had its beginnings in France in 1674, when royalty called for art patronage, with works by recent graduates from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts on display. The event was created by Cardinal Mazarin, the chief minister of France, and gave artists the opportunity to display current work for review by the critics, and it became a mark of royal favor to be included. The artist had the chance of becoming one of the "in crowd" if their work was particularly praised, and perhaps gain a royal commission or two!

In 1725, the Salon was held in the Palace of the Louvre, and by 1737, the exhibition became a public event, begining on August 25, the feast of St. Louis, and running for a few weeks. By 1748 a jury of awarded artists was included, and from that time, the influence of the Salon went without question.

Every inch of wall space was used for the display of paintings. There are, ironically, paintings depicting the event itself, and also criticisms of the Salon as well. The artist Daumier did a satirical cartoon of one event, with people running out of the gallery, aghast at what they saw. New artistic expressions are always at the mercy of the conservative conformists. Sometimes it takes years for an artist's inspiration to be acknowledged.

The Louvre shown just above at left and right is a magnificent art piece in itself, Palace of the Kings of France, it is serious and stately but remarkably decorative too. It has stood since the 1500's. Actually it was a fortress from the 12th Century, but became a residence centuries later. In 1793 it became a museum by national decree during the French Revolution.

Today the Lourve includes an incredible glass pyramid that graces its central courtyard. In 1984 Prime Minister Francoise Mitterand commissioned the work by famed Japanese architect/artist I.M. Pei, and it was finished in 1989. Some liked it, some were aghast, but today it is an icon, part of the entire space, an homage of sorts to ancient art and the Egyptians, down through history, to a modern expression on the past.

From time in memorium, once man has established himself in relative comfort and security, he has saw fit to decorate his environment. The famous pre-historic caves of Lascaux in France attest to that! Today, what artistic achievement can you refer to that does the same?
New York City graffiti?  One of the magnificent movie theatre picture palaces from the 1930's? What do you think?

Write On!

The hand-written letter is a precious and beautiful thing, though in our 21st Century, it seems to be going the way of the dinosaur. What a shame. In today's world, folks may begin a correspondence with a thank you note, a birthday card, but it seems that the moment a relationship is established, the charm and grace of the hand-written gift is gone in favor of an email or text or phone call. That's fine, of course, better than nothing at all, but the time and effort and careful words recorded on paper is sadly over.

I marvel at the correspondence of the past. In a case like Mozart's, there remains over 1,400 letters that either he wrote to friends and family, or their letters to him. Because of this wonderful fact, we have access to the real person, from quaint and sweet letters he wrote to his sister and mother when he was on the road with his father, at about age 9 or 10. We have letters written to his father when he was a teen-ager about 17-18 when he was again travelling with his mother to Mannheim for a concert tour. They are humorous, provocative, sometimes silly or baudy. One letter written at about 20-21 years of age, to his cousin Basle, is downright naughty! Later, there are beautiful letters back and forth to his beloved wife Constanze. They are filled with inside jokes, tender musings, heartache and longing when they were apart. There is correspondence to friends and associates for help finding a post at court, or for financial assistance when times were lean. All in all, we get a real picture of the man, what he was up to, where he was going, and how he felt about all this. It's great, and we can thank Constanze for preserving these letters, and in turn, his legacy.

Sometimes, though, letters were thought too personal, none of anyone's business, and they were destroyed. This is the case with Martha Washington. When George died, she burnt all their letters! What a shame! And so, we certainly know alot about George, but more from a historic perspective than an emotional or personal portrait.

Here's an interesting bit: Letters in the 18th Century, at least in England, were paid for by the recipient, not the sender! And so, if you had any regard or compassion for the next person, you used very little paper, wrote small, AND, interestingly enough, if you ran out of room on the page, you turned your letter 90o and wrote over the writing already there!!! This was called cross-letters, and is commonly seen in old antique letters. The paper used was "laid" paper, which was marked with parallel lines or water marks, as if ribbed, from parallel wires in the mold.

Of course, one of the most important things about letter writing in the 18th Century was how carefully and respectfully one's thoughts were expressed. People addressed each other in a much more formal way, UNTIL they knew the person, over time, and with that person's permission. Today, everyone is on a first name basis whether it's called for or not, or addressed as "you guys" or "hey, man!" The nightmare of Facebook adds to the gross familiarity. Everyone knows everyone's business. There are no parameters. "Friends" air their "dirty laundry", argue or gossip on line, for all to see. Those kind of friends one doesn't need.

Isn't it lovely to go to your mail box and find an actual letter, correspondence from a friend or loved one, perhaps while on their travels, or to inform you of some wonderful news! I just cherish those moments, though I know they are few and far between. Actually, I have kept all the letters of a very dear friend, a correspondence that spans over 30 years now. I keep them in a special place, and they are bound with ribbon. We have shared so many of life's adventures, important occasions, landmarks, changes, travels. They call to me to do something special with them, and I know that inspiration will reveal itself one day. Meanwhile, I keep collecting!

Perfume: The Magical Personal Signature!

One of my favorite weekend gigs, when it is possible, is visiting the Nordstrom perfume area at my favorite mall, where the sales staff liberally distribute perfume samples of any you wish to try! It's such fun, and allows one to sample the new fragrances, as well as re-encounter old favorites and of course, the legendary. I will not give away which are my favorites, or in fact, which is my ultimate favorite. It wouldn't be right, as perfume is part of one's secret side, within one of the seven veils, a very personal and magical signature, as it were. Of course, fragrance smells differently on each individual, which is an insurance if people try to "copy", (though imitation is supposed to be the highest form of flattery! Ha ha !)

Perfume has always been important, but it truly came into its own during the reign of King Louis XV in the 18th Century. In fact, the court was nicknamed, "le cour parfumee", or perfumed court. Madame de Pompadour ordered loads of perfume, and the King fragranced his apartment with a different scent each day! My!!!

 King Louis XIV's court applied perfume to everything!including clothing, furniture, fans.  It became a substitute for soap and water, and by the 18th Century, aromatic plants were grown in the Grasse region of France to supply the industry with local material. Even today, France remains the perfume capital of the world.

Napoleon had two quarts of violet cologne delivered to him every week, AND sixty bottles of jasmine extract every month! His Josephine was partial to musk, and it is said that even sixty years after her death, her boudoir still held the scent.  The 1700's also saw the use of solid perfume.

Fashionable bottles were part of the ultimate experience, and were for the wealthiest in society. By the middle of the 19th Century, though, the industrial revolution changed that forever. Now, synthetic perfume allows the masses to partake, but of course, when something is not "the real deal" it always suffers somehow. Celebrity endorsed perfumes may smell interesting and modern, but they do not last (and it's probably a good thing....who wants to smell like Justin Beiber, or JLo for very long).

This bottle, at left,  is interesting with the face of a person seen when it is viewed from the front, while different faces are seen from the left or the right sides. From Staffordshire, which was a renowned enamel production center in the 18th century.

At right is one from England c. 1755 showing a jester in mask and colorful costume, his head is the stopper. From the Chelsea porcelain factory, it is whimsical and it was probably quite a conversation piece.

I hope to venture over to the perfume display soon again, and try one I've never tried before. Perfume is an adventure, not only the discovering of one you can't live without, but then planning how to wear it! What outfit, what mood, what mystery!

 

 

 

Birthday Greetings!

 This coming Sunday will mark the 257th birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart! I like to celebrate the event some way each year. There have been birthday bashes with German food and powdered wigs, as well as some more quiet and reflective evenings listenings to his glorious music. Inevitably there are some Mozart chocolates to go along with some fine single malt scotch. This year, I will be watching a new dvd on Wolfie, an account of his life and work, courtesy of a friend who gave it to me for Christmas.

I will also take the time to recall a most wonderful evening spent in London last year, along with friends, at the St. Martin in the Fields Church in Trafalgar Square. It was our first evening across the pond, and we took some time to relax and listen to a Mozart/Haydn program in a candlelight setting. To sit in that beautiful place, and hear such delightful music was a treat, indeed! One of the most moving for me was the EXSULTATE JUBILATE, K165 by Mozart, written in 1773.

It was composed when Wolfgang visited Milan, and it was written for the famous castrato Venanzio Rauzzini, a favorite of the composer. In modern times, it is usually sung by a soprano, which is the way we heard it. In three parts, it is comprised of an Allegro recitative, an Andante, and a final Allegro. It is truly jubilant, especially its final and well-known "Alleluia"! Below see the words in Latin as it was composed, translated to English. Give a listen here, sung by Anna Moffo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYFfuoqdTpE

Exsultate, jubilate, O vos animae beatae exsultate, jubilate, dulcia cantica canendo; cantui vestro respondendo psallant aethera cum me.	Rejoice, be glad, O you blessed souls, Rejoice, be glad, Singing sweet songs; In response to your singing Let the heavens sing forth with me.
Fulget amica dies, jam fugere et nubila et procellae; exortus est justis inexspectata quies. Undique obscura regnabat nox, surgite tandem laeti qui timuistis adhuc, et jucundi aurorae fortunatae. frondes dextera plena et lilia date.	The friendly day shines forth, both clouds and storms have fled now; for the righteous there has arisen an unexpected calm. Dark night reigned everywhere [before]; you who feared till now, and joyful for this lucky dawn give garlands and lilies with full right hand.
Tu virginum corona, tu nobis pacem dona, tu consolare affectus, unde suspirat cor. Alleluja.	You, o crown of virgins, grant us peace, console our feelings, from which our hearts sigh. Alleluja

Some Miserable Work

This past weekend, I went to see the new Les Miserables movie, which I had been anticipating for quite a while now. I love the story, and became a fan of the musical long ago, when I first saw it in Los Angeles in 1980 when it debuted at the Shubert Theatre in Century City. No one had ever seen anything like it. The staging was incredible and very different, with a revolving set that became Jean Valjean's environment, his home, the streets of Paris, as well as the famous revolutionary barricade.
I was entranced!

I can say that over the years I have seen it in Las Vegas, in Canterbury in England, and on the London stage where it has played for over 25 years! Each performance is memorable, and the viewer gleans more of the subtleties with each production.

The new movie has the benefit of some computer-generated images that SUPPORT, not overwhelm, the film. Without giving anything away, the opening scene is monumental, with the hauling into drydock of an enormous tall ship that has been damaged in battle. Jean Valjean is part of a chain gang of hundreds and hundreds of men, pulling hand-over-hand the large ropes that have been tied to the ship. They sing the famous "Look Down" as they work relentlessly to bring the ship in. Guards stand above watching, chiding, beating the men whose exhaustion is more than apparent.  

I started researching the concept. In the previous productions, Vanjean works in a quarry, now he is up to his chest in water, chained around the neck, and to others. The chain gang, as it were, goes way, way back, but in the 18th Century, instead of slaves, it was convicts or indentured servants doing this type of work. No compensation save for sustainance, and perhaps the opportunity to do something other than sit in a cell.

At right is an illustration of a ship being righted in the water in a dry dock. The scaffolding is gigantic, and you can image how many men had to be employed.

In the original book by Victor Hugo, Jean Valjean was a galley prisoner, and was in danger of returning to the galleys. Police inspector Javert who relentlessly pursues Valjean had a father was also a galley prisoner. As always, various punishment was incurred that "fit the crime". Financial debt sometimes landed someone in the debtor's prison, like the famed Marshalsea (at left) in London. This concept is ironic, as the debtor is confined, unable to work, and pay off the debt. He must rely on someone else to work for him, or languish within the prison walls. But those who were involved in more heinous crimes "enjoyed" the harsher punishments of slave labor, life sentence, torture or execution. As you might recall, "slaves of the law" had very few rights in the 18th Century. Human rights and prison reform did not come into play until much later in the 19th Century.

With the holidays over, and all the decorations taken down and put away, it's time to get back to reality, but I have fond memories of a lovely holiday.

I received some wonderful gifts for Christmas this year, unexpected things, and it's fun to find a place for them now. One of the most interesting, fabulous and different is my Ship's Model! Given to me by those who know how much I love the tall-ship era, I was delighted when I opened all the wrapping to find Lord Nelson's "Victory", all trimmed and ready to set sail! When my daughter gave me the very large, silvery/glittery, handled gift bag, she said, "Be careful! This is more fragile than glass!" I dutifully took it home, placed it carefully near the tree, and wondered, "Whatever could it be?" I never peaked, or shook, or lifted the bag. I NEVER cheat at these kinds of things. It spoils the fun.

Anyway, on Christmas Eve, at midnight, when I open my gifts, I saved it for last. Finally, I carefully unwrapped my gift, and found the beautiful model.

I thought I'd look into the history of these models. They are not purely decorative.
They are scale models of actual ships, at their best, and can range in size from 1/6000 scale to larger vessels that are capable of holding people! They are as old as shipbuilding itself, though over time, they have gained more and more detail. Even the ancient Egyptians built these models, and placed them in tombs or pyramids along with the dead, as transport to the new life.

But my concern is the 18th Century, and I found something interesting. Until the 1700's, ships were built without formal drawn plans, so shipwrights would construct models to show prospective customers how a ship would look as well as highlight technical advances. A kind of promotional marketing tool. Ship models were constructed for the Royal Navy, called Admiralty Models, to illustrate warship design, showing the advances and advantages of certain style hulls, type of masts, decking. The models were used to help in financing, and even to avoid construction errors as the actual ship took form.

I remember a line in Master and Commander, when Captain Aubrey takes note of an enemy ship's model that a crew member "knocked up" for him. Ah, he realizes by the shape of the hull, that the walls were so very thick that nothing could penetrate them. He exclaims, " Oh, this fascinating modern age we live in!"

In the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England, some incredible examples are displayed, so beautiful and ornate. A real treat to see next time you visit London.