20th century Russian pioneer Natalia Goncharova had an astonishingly varied and prolific career, spanning painting, printmaking, costume, set design and more. Pulling together all these diverse ideas was a desire to celebrate her Russian heritage, and its place in an increasingly modern society. Russian fabrics were among her most favourite and cherished objects, particularly those…
All posts by Rosie Lesso
Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky was one of the 20th century’s greatest pioneers, spearheading a bold new language of abstraction that would alter the course of art history. He was particularly fascinated by the sonorous possibilities of colour, and how symphonic arrangements of light and dark could convey rich and complex emotions. No colour was out…
In this latest edition on fabric in ukiyo-e art, we will look into the fascinating art of the 18th and 19th century Katsukawa School, and the vital role Japanese costume and silk played in its development. Founded by the great Miyagawa Shunsui, the incredible art of the Katsukawa School spanned paintings and prints with a…
Pierre Bonnard’s intimiste paintings invite us into his own private world, a magical place where colour and light roam free. Though he is perhaps best celebrated for his scorching colour palette that heightened reality into a kaleidoscopic dream, he also brought in bright, cool shades like that of MIST Linen, letting them breeze through his…
Pattern, in all its multicoloured, decorative glory, is at the heart of David Hockney’s art. It was there in his art as a young, keen student in 1950s London, and it’s still alive and well in the art he makes today (only Hockney could reimagine the Yorkshire landscape as a series of eye-wateringly bright patchworks)….
“I paint flesh because I’m human. Flesh is just the most beautiful thing to paint.” Jenny Saville’s voluptuous, rippling folds of flesh explore the living, breathing human experience. On one hand she is a painter’s painter, who relishes in the messy, smeary liquidity of oil paint, but she also draws parallels between the sensuality of painting and…
In Marc Chagall’s swirling world of imaginative wonder, the rich, bluish purple hue of MAJESTY Linen appeared often, staining his canvases with a weighty, dramatic intensity. Throughout his career as a leading modernist, colour was a key component in Chagall’s art, not observed from nature but sprung forth from deep within his mind, expressing the…
Henri Matisse was an avid, obsessive collector, amassing a huge archive of incredible objects throughout his lifetime that clattered noisily against one another in his home studio. The most cherished of these possessions were Matisse’s impressively vast collection of textiles which he gathered from all over the world, including French tapestries, Persian rugs and African…
The Utagawa School was one the most successful periods in the history of Japanese ukiyo-e art, lasting from the late 18th to the late 19th century. Under the leadership of master printmaker Utagawa Toyoharu, the school revolutionised Japanese woodblock printing, discovering new techniques that allowed them to work quickly and efficiently, creating a huge array…
Italian husband-and-wife team Massimo and Lella Vignelli made a remarkable contribution to late 20th century design, ushering in a new brand of elegance, simplicity and order. Both trained as architects but their legacy is far more extensive, spanning silverware, bags, watches, furniture and typography. “If you can design one thing, you can design everything,” they…
French husband-and-wife team Ramdane Touhami and Victoire de Taillac are one of the busiest and most entrepreneurial couples of today. Both are cofounders of Officine Universelle Buly, a luxury beauty brand with an emphasis on whimsical, naturally derived hand-made products and vintage-inspired graphics. Nomadic in nature, the pair prefer a life of travel and adventure…
Mark Rothko knew how mesmerising night-time shades of blue could be, soaking them deep into the weave of his canvases until they formed intoxicating pools of darkness. The near-black shade of NIGHT BLUE Linen was one of his favourites, because it could invoke the raging drama and intensity of night, particularly when blurred at the…
For Mexican artist Frida Kahlo fabric was an incredibly powerful form of self-expression, one that made her an inimitable icon of the 20th century. She adored the indigenous fabrics of Mexico, with their lively, exuberant prints and intricate areas of ruffling and embroidery, drenching her body in layers and layers of traditional textiles. More than…
Isabel and Ruben Toledo are best known today as fashion’s greatest love story; their endless, intense love for one another is the foundation from which all their best ideas have grown. His whip-smart illustrations and her razor-sharp clothing have overlapped and intersected many times over the four decades they shared together. Even in the wake…
American painter Richard Diebenkorn is one of the 20th century’s most celebrated painters, capturing the hazy light of his native California with cool, crystalline colours like that of MICRO CHIP Linen. His world-renowned ‘Ocean Park’ series was made during the 1970s as inspired by the oceanic landscape of Santa Monica, where he had made his…
SEW THIS LOOK
Latest Posts
Search engine
Use this form to find things you need
LATEST COMMENTS
27 Sep 2024 @ 4:31 am by Mastering Puff Sleeves: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Stylish and Comfortable Designs - Smart.DHgate – Trusted Buying Guides for Global Shoppers
16 Feb 2015 @ 7:20 am by Fabric-Store.com Patterns Are No Longer Free: What Sewists Need to Know - Lu Me Studio
27 Sep 2024 @ 4:31 am by Mastering Puff Sleeves: A Step-by-Step Guide to Cutting and Sewing Perfect Puff Sleeves - Smart.DHgate – Trusted Buying Guides for Global Shoppers
27 Sep 2024 @ 4:31 am by Mastering Puff Sewing: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Beautiful Puff Details - Smart.DHgate – Trusted Buying Guides for Global Shoppers
27 Sep 2024 @ 4:31 am by Mastering Puff Sleeves: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Stylish and Voluminous Sleeves - Smart.DHgate – Trusted Buying Guides for Global Shoppers