(no subject)
You know how it happens; you're innocently perusing your e-mail from work on a slow day and then WHAM! Sotheby's drops you note that they have a lovely new "Important Old World Master Paintings & Sculptures" auction coming up in New York on the 26th of this month (at 10:00 AM, in case anyone wants to stop by and pick me up a belated Christmas gift....*hint hint*).
"Sure," you think to yourself, "I'll take a couple of minutes and thumb through their e-catalog. There hasn't been anything interesting in one of these in awhile and it's not like I am going to see anything amazing that simply *must* be made (by someone out there)..."
BOLOGNA 1552 - 1614 ROME (click thru image to original auction)
(LAVINIA FONTANA) PORTRAIT OF BIANCA DEGLI UTILI MASELLI, HALF LENGTH, IN AN INTERIOR, HOLDING A DOG AND SURROUNDED BY SIX OF HER CHILDREN inscribed along the upper edge: NOBILIS FAMILIA DE MASELLIS ROMANA and above the little girl center left: VERGINIA
Bastards.
Herein follows a whole series of Oh My Gawd, That Is FABULOUS! images, all taken as details shots from the one above. I swear to Hades - I had better never find this fabric and trim or else I am going to be so screwed). *sigh*
First of all - this fabric and trim. I think I might kill someone to get my hands on 8 yards of the material. Sadly I know *exactly* where to get that trim (and buttons, and ties, and...) made:
Then there is the collar and cuffs. This suit of ruffs is KIIIIILLLLLING MEEEEE with the pretty. They are just a froth of lace, and their little pointy trimmed edge is the most substantial thing about them *happy sigh*:
Then there are these crazy details. Like the little button/loop closures (alternating sides/alternating color!) on the upper part of the hanging sleeve. And if that inner corner on the trim is mitered rather than woven that way, then I am clearly behind on my payments to the Sewing Gods (because my mitering never looks that good) :
And speaking of that split oversleeve - how cool is the overall construction/functionality on this thing!?! It splits (or curves below) the elbow of the wearer and then flares/splits over the bicep, allowing for a decent range of movement while also giving a great spot for some excellent (and beautiful) trim detail. And don't even get me started on all that gold braid for those under sleeves, with their cute little dagged cuffs!:
And finally, the whole thing is crowned with THIS amazing hair:
I want my magical sewing fairies and I want them NOW! I have never, ever wanted to do the later-period Italian thing before. But this dress is testing my limits of control...
In conclusion. I hate you Sotheby's. Damnit.
"Sure," you think to yourself, "I'll take a couple of minutes and thumb through their e-catalog. There hasn't been anything interesting in one of these in awhile and it's not like I am going to see anything amazing that simply *must* be made (by someone out there)..."
BOLOGNA 1552 - 1614 ROME (click thru image to original auction)
(LAVINIA FONTANA) PORTRAIT OF BIANCA DEGLI UTILI MASELLI, HALF LENGTH, IN AN INTERIOR, HOLDING A DOG AND SURROUNDED BY SIX OF HER CHILDREN inscribed along the upper edge: NOBILIS FAMILIA DE MASELLIS ROMANA and above the little girl center left: VERGINIA
Bastards.
Herein follows a whole series of Oh My Gawd, That Is FABULOUS! images, all taken as details shots from the one above. I swear to Hades - I had better never find this fabric and trim or else I am going to be so screwed). *sigh*
First of all - this fabric and trim. I think I might kill someone to get my hands on 8 yards of the material. Sadly I know *exactly* where to get that trim (and buttons, and ties, and...) made:
Then there is the collar and cuffs. This suit of ruffs is KIIIIILLLLLING MEEEEE with the pretty. They are just a froth of lace, and their little pointy trimmed edge is the most substantial thing about them *happy sigh*:
Then there are these crazy details. Like the little button/loop closures (alternating sides/alternating color!) on the upper part of the hanging sleeve. And if that inner corner on the trim is mitered rather than woven that way, then I am clearly behind on my payments to the Sewing Gods (because my mitering never looks that good) :
And speaking of that split oversleeve - how cool is the overall construction/functionality on this thing!?! It splits (or curves below) the elbow of the wearer and then flares/splits over the bicep, allowing for a decent range of movement while also giving a great spot for some excellent (and beautiful) trim detail. And don't even get me started on all that gold braid for those under sleeves, with their cute little dagged cuffs!:
And finally, the whole thing is crowned with THIS amazing hair:
I want my magical sewing fairies and I want them NOW! I have never, ever wanted to do the later-period Italian thing before. But this dress is testing my limits of control...
In conclusion. I hate you Sotheby's. Damnit.