1.22.2011

Artwork to Room: Harmony in Blue and Gold

Why let my two passions be at odds with one another? In an attempt to meld them both while paying an homage to the dearly departed Domino (who didn't love their Outfit to Room feature?), I present: Artwork to Room. It's pretty self-explanatory, and more of a fun exercise in looking than a rhetorical visual analysis...obviously...*



Whistler's Peacock Room, or Harmony in Blue and Gold, now splendidly ensconced at the Freer Gallery, with its chatelaine, La Princesse du Pays de la Porcelaine (Princess from the Land of Porcelain). The story of this amazing room is a must-read.

A guest bedroom in the home of Kate and Andy Spade, who really require no introduction, via my unlabeled clippings (possibly Elle Decor).

* At least I thought it was self-explanatory. But one phone call from my mother later and I realized perhaps in this case I should have specifically explained that I am using the example of the Peacock Room, which is not a self-contained work of art per se, like a painting or a drawing or a sculpture, but rather a gesamtkunstwerk, or total work of art to be examined in its totality. Oooh, now we're getting fancy. What I mean is that the whole room and every object in it, every aspect of its decor, was finely tuned by Whistler and the assembled elements, though they are many, constitute a single artwork which may then be compared the Kate Spade room I have selected as its counterpoint. Oh boy.

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Surfacing again, to say...what?



I miss this blog.

I stopped writing here for very good reasons. Mainly, the stress of constantly needing new and original content meant it wasn't as fun as it used to be. Plus, as much as I loved gathering together ideas and finds and inspiration, I was simply less capable of putting in the time required to, you know, actually be a blogger. Comment responses? What are those again? Graduate school (yup, still in the thick of it!) tends to really force you to rethink your priorities. Blogging was supposed to be a fun and relaxing outlet...it was supposed to relieve the stress I accumulated in my very demanding Ph.D. program, not add to it.

Still, I miss it.

I'm not even sure that anyone could possibly still be reading. But, if you are...you may be seeing just a bit more of me. No promises! But it is a new year, and a new me, with a few new hobbies to boot. I have a good feeling about 2011. We'll see where this adventure takes us.

image credit: Jean-Etienne Liotard (1702-1789), Trompe l'oeil, 1771, courtesy of The Frick Collection, New York

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