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I like this lady

Neat idea: a crowd-sourced database of historic watercolors. It’s a British charity and they’re just starting, so it isn’t very fleshed out yet, but click the link and you can do a word search of their db.

Before the camera, watercolors functioned just like snapshots. They were quick takes, often by amateurs, usually intended to capture data rather than pretend to great art. There are millions of them in collections high and low, in drawing rooms, museums and ladies’ diaries. This could be an important resource, if they don’t run out of money.

Go have a poke around. It’s fun.

This very skillful portrait miniature turned up on a search of “North Carolina.” She is Mrs John Willis Ellis, smilin’ at you from 1846 and I love her.

Good weekend, all!

Comments


Comment from RD
Time: March 1, 2019, 8:48 pm

Sorry, I’m not sure I like the painting… dress is nice, hair-style is period, but the eyes and mouth say ‘axe murderer’.


Comment from Ric Fan
Time: March 1, 2019, 10:00 pm

I like the volcanos. 🙂


Comment from dissent555
Time: March 2, 2019, 2:38 am

Crazy week. TGIF all !!


Comment from Uncle Badger
Time: March 2, 2019, 10:45 am

It’s funny you should say that, RD. I had the same thought. She’s even madder looking in colour.

The implications are… disturbing.


Comment from S. Weasel
Time: March 2, 2019, 11:21 am

Really, you guys? I thought she was charming.

Not many portrait miniatures look like real people, but she does.

*sulk*


Comment from durnedyankee
Time: March 2, 2019, 2:16 pm

I’m with you weasy – I thought he did a nice job considering water colors.
I particularly like the shading on the nose and the eyes and the lower part of her face – fairly damn photo like.

and she’s not just sitting there with an all serious face as those who usually sat for tintypes did. Talk about your bunch of people who looked like they were getting mugshots taken and probably were weird criminals!

Actually the guy (or girl, but unlikely I guess) was damned good.
Damn, the more I look at it – look at the lace work patterns
and how they appear as lace would – slightly translucent, the shadows of the tendons on her hand.

You guys look at the art, not the chick will ya?


Comment from S. Weasel
Time: March 2, 2019, 4:01 pm

Guy. The painter was John Henry Brown. I’d never heard of him, but a quick search shows his miniatures are mostly above average of the type.

Lots of women miniaturists, though, in the 19th C. It was a fairly respectable thing for a woman who had to work.


Comment from Deborah HH
Time: March 2, 2019, 5:35 pm

I think the painting is beautifully done—all that lace and embroidery. She does seem a bit placid; maybe they dosed her with brandy before her sitting so she wouldn’t be nervous.


Comment from Uncle Al
Time: March 2, 2019, 9:44 pm

My goodness…axe murderer? My immediate thought was quite different. I’ll put it delicately: Mrs. John Willis Ellis was quite well satisfied by with Mr. John Willis Ellis.


Comment from Ric Fan
Time: March 3, 2019, 12:47 am

Youtube has all these old movies, mostly Fox Classic movies or something, all pretty good.

They also have One Step Beyond — remember that? It scared the bejeessus out of me.


Comment from BJM
Time: March 4, 2019, 4:06 am

What a treasure trove and/or time sink!

It amazes me that so many spend their online time fussin’ & fightin’ over bullshit when there is so much to see, learn and read. Photography alone could take decades to fully explore and appreciate.

Thanks Stoaty..I loveses your eclectic links.


Comment from Durnedyankee
Time: March 4, 2019, 2:14 pm

thanks Weasy – so women were allowed to paint!

And stop calling me Guy.

🙂


Comment from Steve Skubinna
Time: March 4, 2019, 8:12 pm

Anybody have Luke Perry? Probably not, he’s way too young and didn’t seem to have any medical conditions.


Comment from Ric Fan
Time: March 4, 2019, 11:47 pm

After his stroke, his agent & manager were claiming stories that he was unconscious were untrue. Sounds like he was unconscious but put into a medically induced coma to help his brain heal and never gained conscious. That said, he was way too young to die.

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