The French fragrance house of Houbigant seems to have turned to the history of art even more than other houses of the mid-twentieth century. I’ve already written three posts about advertisements for Houbigant’s Chantilly. This ad is a general promotion for the brand, rather than any specific fragrance, and it illustrates the idea of “the Eternal Feminine” with a work of classical sculpture.
I was doing some research at the New York Public Library’s main reference branch yesterday, and when I left the library and crossed the street, I spotted this mural. It’s painted on a pair of doors off to the side of the Andaz Fifth Avenue, a hotel that I’d never really noticed before.
The painting is signed by artist Aimee Cavazzi. I looked her up when I got home and learned that she is “artist in residence” at the Andaz. She painted this work just a few weeks ago, and she says,
“I would take the train in the spring time and early summer as a young teenager and felt, just as the picture depicts, inspired, overwhelmed and in awe of the immensity and intensity of the city.”
I know what she means, and I’m glad I still feel the same way in New York sometimes: energized, happily astonished, percolating with ideas, drawing inspiration from my surroundings.
You can see some photos of Cavazzi (and her students!) at work on the mural here.
Image: photo by Tinsel Creation.
I don’t need another lip color or blusher, but if I did, I’d be scooping up a few items from Korres. I’ve had an eye on their Cheek Butter in Philia Rose for a while; actually, I’d probably use it as a lip color instead. And now there’s a new lip product called Greek Yoghurt Nourishing Lip Cooler, which seems to be a tinted conditioning balm in a tube. My pick would be Raspberry.
When I saw this vintage magazine advertisement for Cashmere Bouquet (circa 1899-1900), I immediately knew that it had to be the work of artist Maxfield Parrish. The hyper-realism of the light and shadow on the distant mountains, the palette of mauve and periwinkle, the “exotic” setting—these are all Parrish hallmarks.
Colgate hasn’t produced anything as fantastic as this ad in a long time.
Donna Tartt’s publisher has just released the cover of her forthcoming novel, The Goldfinch (scheduled for October 2013).
Bookish quotes Tartt’s editor as saying, “The cover suggests a central moment in the story, which I can’t give away here!”
If only we knew more about that cover design. Oh, wait… didn’t I post a few thoughts about the novel’s title, and a possible pictorial source, when it was first announced in February? Let’s see… right here.
And I was right!
