Friday 21 February 2014

Culture Club

By the end of the Edwardian era, there were many cultural influences from round the world, seen in art, design, fashion and the performing arts.

(Source: Wikipedia) 'Proserpine' By Dante Gabriel Rossetti. This depiction of a woman is infused with feelings of longing and a sense that she is musing over something - one thing I really love is how the shimmer of the silk gown is captured perfectly , almost as if it's not a picture, but something happening right in front of your eyes.

During the Victorian Era, a group of artists named the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood formed and their influence spilled over into the Edwardian era. Founded by Rossetti, Holman-Hunt and Millais, they strove to create romantic art which was true to nature, expressed individuality and in a heartfelt way, and above all, was of an extremely good quality. They mixed poetry and art, and almost always depicted a beautiful, almost bohemian type of woman in their works - draped in luxurious, loose flowing gowns with long tumbling locks of hair.

(Source: parhedros.com) 'Lilith' By John Collier. This particular Pre-Raphaelite artist showed women in more fantasy - type situations, but still in keeping with the rules of being exactly true to nature.


They put extreme detail into their compositions to highlight all the beauty found in nature, of which they were heavily influenced - perhaps that's why their depictions of women seem in their most natural forms of beauty.The Pre-Raphaelites spent much of their time developing new methods of working - one being working pigment into a wet glaze to give a jewelled tone, which also helps to give so many of their paintings the almost photographic feel.




(Source: artmastered.tumblr.com) 'Venus Verticordia' by Rossetti - though the main focus of the image is the serene looking woman, the detail around her is extraordinary - photo realistic images of roses fall behind her, and an anatomically perfect motif of a bird sits, out of focus in the top corner. I love the halo of butterflies and the attention to detail so rigorous that the way the light would hit her hair has been included .


(Source: anglik.net)'Ophelia' by John Everett Millais

(Source: magnoliabox.com) Kate Dickens Perugini painted by Millais - yet again I'm blown away by the artist's description of the fabric, it's so true to form and you can see every crease and bend. The emotion seems intense,  and I think it's left to the viewer's interpretation as to what the emotion may be.


(Source: parhedros.com)


(Source: postercartel.com) 'A Race with Mermaids and Tritons' by Collier. Again, one of his fantasy depictions of  the human form.

This romantic influence can be seen in movements such as Art Nouveau, in which although the artist was freed from making everything realistic, there's a sensuality and adoration for the beauty of nature and women.


(Source: rentego.com) Alphonse Mucha's Art Nouveau illustrations - you can see how the sensuality and emotion is influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite creations, also especially in the way that the hair flows and the drape of the dresses.


(Source: Telegraph) 'Lady Lillith' by Rossetti.

Another highly influential place was Liberty London. Still standing strong today, the shop opened in the mid-1800's and by the 1900's was selling all sorts, like an Aladdin's Cave of cultural treasures; highly influenced by the Orient and the East of the world, it was the place to shop. It sold exotic fabrics, works of art and trinkets from the Eastern world, bringing a whole new sense of adventure to shopping.


(Source: londontown.com) The Liberty store on Regent Street today.


(Source: tracepattern.wordpress) Oriental rugs in the current Liberty store - the whole shop would've been filled with wonders such as this, especially in the basement 'Eastern Bazaar' - the mismatched feel of this is still reminiscent of an Eastern market today.

Every piece of furniture was lavish and decorative, and, after the costume department opened, it became the rival to Paris' Couture Ateliers, selling its own made-in-house clothing inspired by all the eastern wonders in the shop. Works from movements such as the Pre-Raphaelite and Art Nouveau were sold there too - this shop was one of a kind, and a hub for all the most creative of people to gather in London.


(Source: forums.thefashionspot.com) Beaded velvet evening coat by Liberty & Co. The drape on this is beautiful - the shape is so simple and yet the folds of the fabric and the intricate detailing from the beads makes this feel even more luxurious, and it's clear that this has been heavily inspired by the way clothes such as kimonos and saris drape round the wearer. The backless detail adds a flash of skin and gives an elegant look.


(Source: manchestergalleries.org) Evening gown by Liberty & Co.


(Source: tracepattern.blogspot.com) Just one small part of the Liberty print archives - each print has a sample and as much information as possible about it - there are thousands and thousands!

Today Liberty still lives up to its name, and is well known for its printed fabrics, designed and used by many a high-end designer.


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