Ivan Meštrovic — Archangel Gabriel — 1918
Object Label
After the horrors of the Balkan Wars and World War I, a disillusioned Ivan Meštrovic turned away from the themes of Slavic history and national identity that had characterized his early work. He began focusing on religious subjects such as this haunting, stylized portrayal of Gabriel, the archangel sent to tell Mary that she would become the Mother of God. His closed eyes emphasize the visionary nature of the event, while the rhyming diagonal of head, hair, and wings suggests the airborne angel’s sudden arrival.
I came across some beautiful scrapbooks dated back to 1906.
It’s astonishing to see how someone’s personal life and a simple passion like cutting out images from magazines becomes a layer of time. And somehow, it still feels relevant in its form.
These brightly contrasting patterned gloves are typical of a style of glove produced in Spain about 1800. They are kidskin dyed in pastel colours and printed in black in decorative and figurative designs. This pair bears a lozenge pattern, with each compartment filled with a motif. Flowers, birds and a series of rustic figures adorn the leather. The edge at the wrist is scalloped and pinked.
Now surviving in museum collections throughout Europe and North America, this style of glove must have been a brief, but very popular fad of the last years of the 18th century. As gloves were one of the few gifts a man could give to a single woman he was not engaged to marry, new designs and colours were eagerly sought after to provide variety in this staple form of present.
It is the most frequent source for inspiration of various artists. Today I wanted to go through music, collecting my favorite one, which in one way or another I associate with flowers. The playlist link is on the profile.
Thanks a lot for the cover which is made by @mollakaev
The white flowers are borne in bunches and are strongly fragrant. It is frequently grown as a house plant, often forced to flower at Christmas.
Photography by Dasha Kuznetsova
An Interesting Picture.
Sometimes view cards show stereo equipment, such as these two ladies using what appear to be stereoscopes of quality a cut above those usually found in homes. I think the title was intended to have double meaning. I inquired whether anyone knew the make and model of the stereoscope in the lady's lap. I got an email from someone who has one. "It is a "Stereo-graphoscope" viewer that was made in 1896 by the H.C. White Co. exclusively for Sears. The lenses are nickel plated, and they are adjustable. It is rare, and I was lucky to have found mine in a yard sale." — Donald Simanek
Super Normal, Naoto Fukasawa and Jasper Morrison (2018)
Jasper Morrison and Naoto Fukasawa have compiled 204 everyday objects in search of super normal design: alongside examples of anonymous design, there are design classics.
About the book
A comprehensive and sumptuous survey that celebrates the beauty and appeal of flowers throughout art, history, and culture
The latest installment in the bestselling Explorer Series takes readers on a journey across continents and cultures to discover the endless ways artists and image-makers have employed floral motifs throughout history. Showcasing the diversity of blooms from all over the world, Flower spans a wide range of styles and media — from art, botanical illustrations, and sculptures to floral arrangements, film stills, and textiles — and follows a visually stunning sequence with works, regardless of period, thoughtfully paired to allow interesting and revealing juxtapositions between them.
Conceived and edited by Phaidon Editors
