Style Imitating Art…
Welcome to Style Imitating Art which comes from Salazar, Shelbee, and me. You can think of this series as fashion meets art museum! SIA challenges people to find inspiration in different art works, create looks based upon that art work, and share them with the curator for that piece. Oh, my goodness! Salazar is the curator for this week’s art. While it isn’t, technically, a piece of art, it is definitely art as an object. I hope you enjoy this post, the information, and my interpretation.
How it works…
Every other Monday one of us selects an inspiration piece of art and posts the image on their blog. We then invite others to interpret that art work through their style. The following Monday, we share our outfits. The curator shares submissions the following Wednesday on her blog. Salazar chose this week’s art work for this round of Style Imitating Art. If you’d like, you can read why she chose it here. Please send your photo to Salazar by Tuesday, April 23rd by 10 pm EST. Style Imitating Art is an interesting way to inspire your outfits. You can see a few of my looks here, here, here, and here.
“Book of Hours”
About the artist…
The exact artist of this Book of Hours is unknown, but I would posit there was more than one. From my research, it appears it was created by French artisans. A Book of Hours has a lengthy history, but it is basically a collection of psalms, prayers, lessons, and hymns carried by the secular populace. Most were ornately illustrated.
About the art work…
The de Bar Hours book was created circa 1310 and was either for Edward de Bar, an early Crusader, or for his bride, Marie. It measures 4.25 x 5 in (10.8 x 12.5 centimeters) and is basically a square. This was unusual on its own. Then, add in the cutwork, and you’ve got quite a beautiful piece of art which served a religious purpose. The book is parchment and was undoubtedly hand lettered as the printing press wasn’t around then. Parchment is animal skin and thicker than paper would be. It was rebound sometime in the eighteenth century at which time the cover was replaced. What is immediately striking about our little book are the cut outs on the margins. The side margins are wider than the top and bottom. The cutwork is not precise as it was done by hand.
A little more…
While we don’t know who created this particular Book of Hours, there is quite a bit of information about the lace cutwork. For many years (maybe even hundreds), there was disagreement about whether or not the cutwork had been done at the same time as the book itself. Others believed it was done when the book was rebound in the eighteenth century. Lynley Anne Herbert is the Robert and Nancy Hall Associate Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts at the Walters Art Museum (which is in possession of the book). She has investigated this beautiful little book in depth and has come up with her own theories about the book. Herbert believes the cutwork was contemporary to the actual creation of the book. She also believes the parchment was cut prior to any kind of writing or illustration. This makes sense when you consider how many hours went into the creation of one page. If one little snip went astray, hours of writing and illustration would have been destroyed. She has much more to say about this little gem. You can find that here. And, if we could time travel to February 17, 2021, we could go to a wonderful lecture given by Herbert and Abigail Quandt, a conservator. But, alas and alack, we cannot. You can read a snippet of information about that here.
My interpretation…
I looked and looked at the still photo as well as the GIF. I just couldn’t pin down any one thing except for the lace. So, I decided to go with an outfit that drew inspiration from the art work rather than a more literal interpretation. My completer piece (as I have no idea what to call it) has appeared on the blog as have the pants. Both pieces are from April Cornell and are close to three years old. I love the lace along the front edges as well as the details at the waist and cuffs. I added in this recently purchased lace top in Spring Lilac from Talbots. Here’s a hint…never pay full price at Talbots! There’s always a sale around the corner.
The Lewk!
Keeping with the lace theme, I pulled out these lace earrings and lace cuff from Stella & Dot. From what I can remember, one of the founders of the company had gone to Paris and discovered some antique lace or maybe it was her grandmother’s. I don’t remember the details other than the designs were based on antique lace. I then went with a different metal (because you can mix metals, too) with my platinum Jack Rogers sandals. As you can tell, these are well worn!
Wrap it up, Marsha!
I fear I didn’t do this little gem of history and art justice. I was just completely confuzzled on how to best meet the challenge. It is truly beautiful, and I would love to see it in person. I will have to investigate that. But, that is the beauty of these style challenges! You win some; you lose some! No judgment, right? So, can we talk? Have you heard of a Book of Hours? Would you have the patience to make even a small book with that kind of cutwork? How would you have styled this challenge? Please leave a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as quickly as I can.
Don’t forget…
If you want to be included in the Style Imitating Art round up, send Salazar your photo by 10:00 EST Tuesday, April 23rd. Photos of everyone participating will appear on Salazar’s blog on Wednesday, April 24th! This may be the perfect painting to start out with…there’s a little bit of everything in it…color, texture, graphics! Come on, give it a try!
Thank you!
I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for reading, commenting, subscribing or emailing! It truly means so much to me! If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.
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Where you can find me:
Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, The Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World and A Fresh Cup of Coffee. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, Style Splash and Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend every Thursday with Melynda, Lisa, and Sue. I also host Final Fridays on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!
The lace is what struck me the most about this work of art too; I think you did a good job with it.
Thanks, Joanne! It really is the showpiece of the art, isn’t it?
Sounds like you met the challenge head on and nailed it Marsha! As always thanks for the back story. I like the lace you incorporated into your outfit and your hair looks fabulous!
xo,
Kellyann
Thank you, Kellyann! I knew I was going to use the cover up, but I wasn’t quite sure what to do about the rest. I’m glad it all came together.
I love this unique combination of different lacy things, Marsha! This outfit is very summery and ever so pretty! The rosettes on your sandals are so similar to the rosette shape in the border cutouts and your lacy kimono-robe-topper is perfect! I wonder if that lecture has been recorded somewhere. I would love to watch it. I found the history of this book so fascinating. You reminded me of a necklace I have that was inspired by an antique lace design as well. I wish I had thought of it so I could have worn that for this challenge. This was a super fun one! It’s your turn next!
Shelbee
Thanks, Shelbee! This was such an amazing piece of art. I wasn’t sure if I could do it justice, but I really liked the outfit I came up with. I didn’t even think about my shoes. Oh, surely there is a recording somewhere, though you’d think they would have linked it in the article. I loved reading all about how they determined the cut work was part of the original book. What an intriguing job that would be.
I like the breezy spring pastels take on the lace theme in your outfit! Are your pants made from dotted swiss? Either way, they are giving me some nice memories of hand-sewing a little light blue dotted swiss dress for my favorite stuffed kitty when I was about 7 years old! It was basically a rectangle of fabric closed in the back with buttons, haha. But I loved how it was so pretty on Kitty! 😀
Thanks, Sally! The coverup was a done deal, but I wasn’t sure if the lilac would work or not. I was so glad it did. No, they’re not dotted Swiss, though they do look like it. I don’t even want to think about my early sewing ventures for my dolls! Luckily, my mom was a talented seamstress!
I love that you double laced it!!
And then even went so far as to add in lace-like accessories!
It’s funny has some of the inspiration artwork seems so easy to reproduce into an outfit and others I could never think of what to style!
Love this, Marsha
Xoxo
Jodie
Thanks, Jodie! The lace jewelry was a sure thing for this particular piece of art. I love doing these challenges because it makes me look at my clothing differently.
Love this outfit so much from the colors to the lace jacket to the person wearing it. All beautiful.
Awww, thanks, Hope! I do miss seeing you! I really loved discovering about this art work.
I’m new to your blog and I LOVE this! I love dressing up, and it would be so fun to find inspiration from art… I might go through my shelves just to pick out my next color palette. 🙂 The outerwear is gorgeous and you can wear it with so many different outfits. Jealous of the fun earrings as well! <33
Welcome, Aimee! I’m glad you’re here! We would love to have you join us! Look for the next piece of art on Monday. Then, you’ll have a whole week to come up with something! And, thank you so much for the compliments!
What a remarkable book. And you put together a lovely look to replicate its best features…those amazing lacy margins. Your accessories share the same intricate details. Thank you for providing some background to the book. I have never seen anything like it.
Thank you, my friend! I loved reading about this book. I can’t imagine having the patience to cut out all those small pieces, especially on parchment! I would love to see it in real life!
You did a great job with your interpretation. I read about The Book Of Hours in another book! The Morville Hours by Katherine Swift is a gardening themed book about restoring an English garden. The book chapters were deliberately set out inline with monastic hours.
Thank you so much, Rosie! I have read about Books of Hours before, too. I will have to look for this book as I love gardening and really love looking at English gardens.
Wonderful, you will be in for a real treat if you can find a copy of the book.
Oh, that would be amazing!
Love this, Marsha, you really nailed the brief and I certainly was stumped when I looked at the artwork. The book is amazing though isn’t it? I love how you have taken the lace look and giving us the background to the book.
Thank you, Sue! You are so good for my ego! I knew I would use this coverup, but I wasn’t sure what to put under it. I would love to see this book in person. I’m sure it’s even more awe-inspiring. One of the things I love the most about the SIA challenge is discovering new information.
The art is so incredible and and I think your duster is the perfect representation of it. I adore the pastel colors you added underneath it!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Isn’t it amazing, Kathrine? I would love to see it in person…photos just can’t do it justice, I’m sure. I’m glad you thought the outfit worked for the challenge!
Thanks!
That is so cool: how your kimono reflects the pages of the book! And I am loving the lace top too! Textures are so fun to add interest to an outfit!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Thanks, Mireille! I love lace so I was pretty sure I could do something with that. I wish I could have done more, though!
Wow, I love this one and how you paired it with the art! I love how everything flows and the colors.
Thanks, Erin! Isn’t it amazing? I would love to see it in person.