French Fine Art Fashion Prints Collection

Racetrack Robes of France – 1920′s

My “Vintage Racetrack Robes” collection has evolved in France over a long time and I was recently spurred on by an expert in the field of racing events and fashions  Briana Mott, from Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.A. with her discussion on the subject of Fashion & Horse Racing. This was the authentic look for Ladies of France in the 1920′s.  The images are from the journal Petit Echo de la Mode.

Surprisingly, I have been sitting on some pretty stunning garment views of exactly the fashions in France during this time.   Hats, well you all have hundreds of these to play with,  but these are a select few hat images of the past.   A stylish  NEW TREND?

White diamonds for the winning  bet!

Swinging tassel tails for the paddock…

Tracking fashions of perfection…

Keeping the sun out of your eyes meant not missing a winner..

Family fun day out at the races.

A smart selection of Ladies dress.

A black and white patterned dress for a summer win.

The best red robe of the season!

1881 – Charity Print surfaces in France

Sunday 16^th June, 2013, I found this historical amazing black and white illustration inside La Monde Illustree’ Journal Hebdomadaire.  – Directeur, M. Paul Dalloz and Secretaire M. Edouard Hubert.   Bureaux,  13 Quai Voltaire, Paris.  The 25th Year No. 1245. 5th February, 1881. , at a French village street market.   Upon inspection it is a rare scene captured by a known Artist/Illustrator  M.Gustave Janet signed in the left hand corner of the drawing. Born 1829.  I have not been able to find out when he died, or much else about this Artist, except a few fabulous fashion drawings and some illustrations. All of which are exceptional historical documents.

Strong visual images of this kind have not come my way often. Things have not changed so much as we think even intensifying in the ever ongoing need for countries of the world to consider how to raise enough by sales everywhere to aid the less fortunate.   This action was taken in Paris –  L’Association charitable des Femmes du monde- Le Magasin du venteau No 36 bis, du Boulevard Haussmain.  Ladies setting up a charity Association for selling antiques.  Collecting many artefacts’ of every kind from rich houses and establishments. porcelain, pottery, furniture, lamps, mirrors, garments, paintings, gold and silver! all made top prices for this ladies Association.

This descriptive print gives food for thought.  A story around this image, now that it has surfaced, needs to be written  and perhaps used by anyone wishing to promote their cause. So Ladies here lies an invitation a new blog subject?  Fashion & Charity.

 

Larger View

FANTASIO Fashions – A French antique book- 1913

Fantasio is an antique hard backed heavy book, with a leather binding, it has gold spine lettering and a mottled red and maroon thick cover. It is made up of individual editions of this French magazine. The Editeur was  Felix Juvan, 1 Rue de Choiseul, Paris.

I found two copies of this book a couple of years ago and have delved into them ever-since.

The contents  are humorous, unusual and with illustrated depictions of topical characters of the times. Many illustrations catching the bizarre  slightly adventurous  spirit of French character. Each edition has many articles charmingly illustrated.  In depth social  matters of political importance give historical enlightenment  for researchers today.

On a lighter look at this it is all about the French looking at themselves!    Here are some of the unusual fashion images  for this archive. Some are quite impossible to believe and  certainly not wearable now, but they may still make us SMILE.

This illustrator was very prolific in the Fashion Journal Gazette Bon Ton.   His illustrations must have spread to the Edition Fantasio.

 

 

 

 This print has the caption:   Leur plairi-ja ainsi?   ‘I shall please them well’  Composition de Touraine.   

 

 

Miniatures

Highly practical was the idea of the portrait Miniature paintings, to the noble ladies of the 16th – 18th Century, and even long before this time. The equivalent if you like to the current Social Media exchange photographs sent to just about everyone we know today.

 

 

Most importantly it comes to mind the romantic capture of beautiful feminine elegance portrayed at every angle, by the specialist artists of the European Courts. They were passed between each other by many families, sometimes sent over long distances to suitors,  proposing marriage for their daughters, or to celebrate major births & deaths.  Another use for the Portrait Miniatures, was for soldiers and   sailors to carry images of their beloved ones, while travelling the world. Some multiple-figure tiny paintings were also made to record the family gatherings.  Abandoned wives kept hold of their husband’s portrait while he was at war.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A ladies indulgence to boost her importance would be the chance to be sitting for an Artist’s portrait painting of special quality, and to dress accordingly in her best richly decorated gown and hat, thus creating a lasting impression of herself.  The end results were exquisite, delicate and very beautiful.

The frames for these artistic keep-sakes were diverse and equally imaginative even surrounded with pearls, diamonds and decorative enamel leaves. Different shapes, mainly oval were used, covered with gold leaf forming patterned or smooth outer rims.  The  frames were set with small hanging clips  inserted at the top.

 

 

Other objects can still be found with tiny paintings, such as enamel watch cases,  boudoir dressing table boxes for ring and snuff boxes.

 

 

My first encounter of these small wonders came when I saw a collection of about 20 miniatures all set on a worn black velvet cloth and framed on a wall.  Later in France I have found these prints in a page of the Journal L’Illustree.  They are rare and the names of the portraits are lost, unless identifiable again in the future. Now we are capturing the characters again as special keepsakes here in a modern Blog.   I wonder what they would have thought about their portraits being preserved and archived in this way in 2013!

 

 

 

 

Art-  The Miniaturists, used oils, but mostly watercolours on vellum then ivory and vitreous enamel painted on copper.

 

In France the name Jean-Baptise Jacques Augustin ( 1759-1832) is the most well known.  Also Jean-Baptise Isabey  (1767-1855).  They painted fine portraits of Napoleon and his entire court.

 

 

From the early 1500’s portrait miniatures have been recorded in France and England.

 

 

Not forgetting a Gentleman .  Here is a little one!!       ——-

 

 

Summer Best Dresses of 76 Remembered

One of the hottest Summers ever recorded was  in 1976.  Do you remember these divine dresses?  well this may jog the coolest memories of some floating visions!  Some by designers we know and some are not so well known. They certainly went to town with their designs that year, many in blazing strong colours to match the temperature. Sunflower yellow, hot sunset pinks & reds, bright blues to match the sky, meadow green, and straw sandy browns. 

Fabrics were fine cotton, floating shears, and linens.   Head bands, straw hats with large brims decked with ribbons, lace, flowers and even jewels were worn to keep the sun at bay.  I must admit I had forgotten these hazy crazy hot days, or what exactly ladies were wearing, until I saw these amazing photographs in some French Couture fashion journals.  Hope you like them!  Summer Best Dresses of 76!

Look out for similar styles in your nearest Vintage Shop or online store.

 

Robes du soir en mousseline –  (Silk/mousseline).  Right: The neckline is edged with many pearls and attractively keyhole cut at the back. The dress on the Left:  has a rushed top, edged with a frill, and this design is  also around the top of the arms. It has long split fabric from the sleeve, giving an elegant finish.    The designer is Paco Rabanne – Haute Couture. 

 

This straight dress, also in silk mousselin has a long train attached to the back of the collar sweeping around from the front of the dress.  Another view of this dress is below: 

The French description for this dress is:  Robe longue en mousseline imprimee, relevee pour former une cape reteune autour du cou par des smocks.

 

French description of above:   Designer:  Jean-Louis Sherrer – robe em mousseline de Buche, rebrodee’ de perles. (broderies de Vermont).   Beautiful fine embroidery and pearls.

 

 

Description:  Left pink taffeta with tiny pleats and ruches.   Right: White Crepe Georgette embroidered with pearls, and lace frill.

 

 

 

Designer:  Jeanne LANVIN – robes longues en mousseline de chez l’une drapee’ sur l’epaule, l’autre bustier.

 

 

Designer Jeanne LANVIN – robe en dentelle de Calais, corsage a bretelles et capecarree’ boutonnee’ sur les epaules.   Superb lace with silver shoes.

 

 

 

Designer Jeanne Lanvin –  Double gandoura longue a larges plis non repasse’s en mousseline imprime’e de Bianchini, decollete’ en V.

Large impact flower pattern in strong colour combinations

For more LANVIN designs see her Biography page under Fashion Designers. 

 

 

 

Designer: Andre’ Courreges  - Robe dos nu en organza, corsage et jupe a volants retenus par des rangs de paillettes.

Inspirations from a Summer dress collection  1976