A journal by artist and designer John Coulthart.
The Peacock Room (1876–1877). More Japonism courtesy of the Google Art Project where it’s possible to pan around this view of Whistler’s Peacock Room at the Freer Gallery of Art. There’s only one view, unfortunately, it would have been good to see the reverse angle or, better still, a full panorama. The Princess from the … Continue reading “Whistler’s Peacock Room revisited”
Something discovered courtesy of the Google Art Project is James Cox’s splendid Peacock Clock automaton, an exhibit at the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg: The history of the Hermitage’s Peacock Clock begins in 1777, when the Duchess of Kingston visited St Petersburg. Balls were given in the Russian capital in honour of this wealthy and distinguished … Continue reading “The Peacock Clock”
Juno and the peacock (1665). Wenceslaus Hollar (1607–1677) did more than just peacocks, of course, as you can discover if you browse the substantial collection of his work at the University of Toronto. Both these pieces illustrate Aesop’s fables. (See here and here.) The jay and the peacocks (1665). Elsewhere on { feuilleton } • … Continue reading “Wenceslaus Hollar’s peacocks”
Hedy Lamarr strikes a pose in a peacock dress for Samson and Deliah (1949), one of Hollywood’s many tiresome Biblical epics. If the photo isn’t just a promo shot and Hedy appears wearing this it’s no doubt a highlight but it’s so long since I saw the film the only thing I remember is Victor … Continue reading “Peacock couture”
I have a peacock-heavy piece of art out next month so with that grasping for spurious relevance here’s a few more peacock discoveries. Antoine Helbert‘s untitled peacock man is one of a number of striking portraits turning humans into birds. Via Chateau Thombeau. Peacock styles, Anchor Buggy Co. (1897) at the Library of Congress.