A rare example of period (and functional, I should add) X lacing in a bodice:


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A mini-mini trip to Northern Italy gave me the opportunity to visit the Villa Foscari (malcontenta) near Venice. The villa is by the Italian architect Andrea Palladio, which I went to study there some years ago. The only villa we didn't get to visit was the Foscari one, and it has since been high on my list. And finally ( Read more... )

So it seems I'll travel a lot this autumn.

First up is a trip to Vicenza in Italy. This is the city blessed with fantastic architecture by Andrea Palladio. I visited it some years ago, on a study trip, and have been in love with Palladio's work ever since. Especially his villas. Hopefully I'll get to visit the Villa Foscari (Malcontenta) near ( Read more... )

Bella, I haven't forgotten about your request for the Chiericati family portrait. I brought the book to a scanning place yesterday, and it came out horrible! But silly me didn't discover it until I got home, because I requested they send it straight to my email adress...

Ah well, I tried to photograph it again, and it came out better, but not ( Read more... )

....and I actually did something about it! Yesterday, after trying hard to get started on an exam essay, my brain went into coma. It would not function on any exam related topics. I had to be creative! So I picked up a white linen fabric I bought in Denmark some years ago and decided to make the dreaded garb: the much needed Renaissance chemise ( Read more... )

As promised, here are more pics from the piano nobile in Villa Caldogno, plus two from Villa Godi. The Caldogno frescoes underneath were painted by Giovan Antonio Fasolo (1530-1572), a follower of Veronese. One exception: the green dress with golden "mascarone" shoulder decorations are by Giovan Battista Zelotti (1526-1578), who trained together ( Read more... )

I came home yesterday, after having spent almost a week in Vicenza, Italy. It's been a very different trip, but definitely wonderful. I'm not used to travel with groups, I must admit, so it took me a few days to "acclimate" to dealing with 10+ people's opinions and rythm, but it was cozy as well. The big minus was that the rain poured down EVERY ( Read more... )