There have been many times in my life when I’ve seen models or actresses and compared my own looks to them and realized I don’t measure up. I will never measure up. Yet it’s important to realize that what I don’t measure up to is a myth. That idea of perfection is not a harmless … Read more
This morning I shared on the Pre-Raphaelite Sisterhood Facebook page Edward Poynter’s portrait of Georgiana Burne-Jones, wife of Sir Edward Burne-Jones who was an important figure in the second wave of Pre-Raphaelitism. In ‘The Last Pre-Raphaelite’ biographer Fiona MacCarthy describes the watch Georgie’s wearing on a chain as a “ball-shaped gold watch studded with chrysolites … Read more
La Mandolinata is an excellent example of opulence in jewelry in Rossetti’s work. Complementing her brocade gown, we see that familiar spiral hair pin set among strands of pearls. ( The necklace is similar in style to the one seen in Rossetti’s Bocca Baciata and Fair Rosamund, both featuring model Fanny Cornforth. For more, see … Read more
Pearls adorn Love’s Shadow by Frederick Sandys A pearl rosary in the background of Kate Bunce’s The Keepsake: Large pearls are strung at intervals in Helen’s necklace (Helen of Troy, Dante Gabriel Rossetti) Three pearls suspended from a brooch in The Pale Complexion of True Love by Eleanor Fortescue Brickdale:
To the ancient Greeks, they were tears of the gods. My grandmother’s akoya pearls are the most precious piece of jewelry I own, beside my wedding ring. Apart from their sentimental value, they have a gorgeous lustre and have aged quite well. Pearls appear front and center in Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Belcolore: And in Fanny … Read more
The Pre-Raphaelites and the artists they inspired are known for their attention to detail. While their attention to nature is perhaps a more widely known aspect of Pre-Raphaelite art, their meticulous representation of clothing does not escape my notice. Of course, there are many examples to choose from since Pre-Raphaelite art is rich with drapery … Read more