in the late 1800's The Dragon Empress CIXI ruled China with a ruthlessness that would make any Dragon breathe harder. CIXI ruled for 48 years-Her modi operandi: CIXI held court from a red throne shaped like a dragon- hidden behind a silk screen. Her dictums concluded with “Hear and obey." ( I think my GranMa used to say that- In fact , she had a wonderful special Chinese frock I was allowed to wear when spending the night!)
THE PRETENDERS
Hollywood's Dragon Empress
Competing Dragons
photograph of Marlene Dietrich and Anna Mae Wong in Shanghai Express
this Dragon is currently under wraps in a Guest Room -
love the scallop hem detail
another Dragon in the Library
Drew Barrymore's Dragon
photographs from Domino Magazine
Clarence House's Dragon Empress happens to be my favorite fabric. I have used it in my own home three times. This has to be a record. A wicked combination of Turquoise, Orange and Mustard exists- and I used that colorway on a little slipper chair in my White Oak House. That was my first Dragon Empress.
The club chair in the Pink, Green and Orange was in my bedroom there and now lives quietly after an intervention of slipper covers from old crochet work. It must be in SHOCK- but I know underneath all that old white lies the Dragon.
Lastly- I returned to the Dragon when trying to finish off a chair for the Library- the Empress said "Hear and Obey-" the perfect fabric - muted tones of toast, blue, turquoise and cat tongue pink.
my friends in religious knives let me remix one of the tracks from their recent ecstatic peace LP The Door, probably not realizing what they were getting themselves into, as in my gem hunter aka billy withers aka 1/2 of glacial lakes guise I transmorgified their shambolic urban demonism into a shadowy yet mellow dubbed-out shoreline jam. RK often pledge the debt of their hoary, submerged sound to the charms of Brooklyn squalor, I say, well Fort Tilden's in Brooklyn too. Or, as Debord 'n' friends always said: under the paving stones, the beach!
image from Vogue's Houses, Gardens, People photograph by HORST
footman hanging Pucci prints from the Pucci Palazzo window-Pucci found his inspiration in Indian fabrics, African designs, cathedral stained glass, Chinese embroideries.
Surrounded by the signatures of Zola, Hugo, Proust, TE Lawrence, and Faulkner-in a previous life- a history teacher-FREDERIC, is now head of the family business-that specializes in autographs since 1830.
Along with being immersed in all this history, he is surrounded by many of his grandmother's beloved possessions in a sea of "Bleu Castaing."* For these objects to have once belonged to the legendary grande dame of the Rue de Jacob- MADELEINE CASTAING- Must make us all pea green.
If you don't worship at design altars - follow any of my blog favorites and you will find some reference and much reverence devoted to Grand Madeleine. High on the list paying homage to Castaing (click the titles) An Aesthete's Lament, & again AAL, The Peak of Chic & Topsy Turvy.Emily Evans Eerdmans -topping the list at 5 posts since Dec 2008-is working on a book about the Grand Madeleine called The World of Madeleine Castaing- much anticipated by those of us waiting in reverence.
the Grand by Soutine, hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
" She developed emotional connections between herself and objects and between the objects themselves. It seems to me that I do something rather similar with autographs. When you find yourself faced with the handwriting of a famous person, it's like a nod or a wink, a signal reaching down to you through the ages... With the ink, the lines, the crossings-out, you discover an intimate aspect of people-you are getting in touch with them in a physical, emotional way. It is like Proust's madeleine." FC
"The sight of the little madeleine had recalled nothing to my mind before I tasted it... "But, "...as soon as I had recognized the taste of the piece of madeleine soaked in her decoction of lime-blossom which my Aunt used to give me... Immediately the old grey house Upon the street, where her room was, rose up like a stage set to attach itself to the little pavilion opening on to the garden which had been built out behind it for my parent."
PROUST
Spending time with GRAND at her country estate LEVES - as a child, FC must have done what most children do- ramble, explore, spin through the rooms and come to rest in his favorite chair. Most of the pieces decorating his shop came from LEVES and the furniture was designed by FC and inspired by the furniture there.
About "the blue-green color of Mr. Castaing's autograph shop - I was interviewing him and MC's assistant - and they said the current blue of the shop is le bleu Frederic Castaing - MC's blue is more sky blue with less green, and she intentionally wanted it to resemble the sky." Emily Evans Eerdmans
*A note about the blue-green color of Mr. Castaing's autograph shop - I was interviewing him and MC's assistant - and they said the current blue of the shop is le bleu Frederic Castaing - MC's blue is more sky blue with less green, and she intentionally wanted it to resemble the sky. EEE
"the celebrated Indian traveller, Mr. Murthwaite, who, at risk of his life, had penetrated in disguise where no European had ever set foot before"
(from Chapter X of The Moonstone)
"the more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself" Sir Richard
...and there are many.
Just a small glimpse of Burton's published works. His catalog is astonishing. See it all on the definitive Burton site linked at the beginning of this post.
SIR RICHARD aka Mr Murthwaite
The mausoleum of Burton and his wife Isabel -an impressive desert tent of sandstone.
"All Faith is false, All Faith is true: Truth is the shattered mirror strown In myriad bits; while each believes His little bit the whole to own." Sir Richard
Burton's wishes were for the two to “lie side by side in a tent” for eternity.
"HONOUR, NOT HONOURS" Sir Richard's favorite self composed motto
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in the late 1800's The Dragon Empress CIXI ruled China with a ruthlessness that would make any Dragon breathe harder. CIXI ruled for 48 years-Her modi operandi: CIXI held court from a red throne shaped like a dragon- hidden behind a silk screen. Her dictums concluded with “Hear and obey." ( I think my GranMa used to say that- In fact , she had a wonderful special Chinese frock I was allowed to wear when spending the night!)
Competing Dragons
photograph of Marlene Dietrich and Anna Mae Wong in Shanghai Express
this Dragon is currently under wraps in a Guest Room -
love the scallop hem detail
photographs from Domino Magazine
from Vogue Better Living and Food 1975-1976, no photo credits given
image from Vogue's Houses, Gardens, People photograph by HORST
all photographs-unless noted-by Roland Beaufre
Along with being immersed in all this history, he is surrounded by many of his grandmother's beloved possessions in a sea of "Bleu Castaing."* For these objects to have once belonged to the legendary grande dame of the Rue de Jacob- MADELEINE CASTAING- Must make us all pea green.
" She developed emotional connections between herself and objects and between the objects themselves. It seems to me that I do something rather similar with autographs. When you find yourself faced with the handwriting of a famous person, it's like a nod or a wink, a signal reaching down to you through the ages... With the ink, the lines, the crossings-out, you discover an intimate aspect of people-you are getting in touch with them in a physical, emotional way. It is like Proust's madeleine." FC
photograph Francois Hammond for the NYTIMES
photograph Pierre Olivier Deschamps
all the Burton images are from burtoniana.org
"the more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself"
Burton's wishes were for the two to “lie side by side in a tent” for eternity.
