August II. the Strong invites you to the Zwinger Festival 2011 in Dresden

The 1. Zwinger Festival Dresden (from 5th to 21st of August 2011) shows a captivating love story between Barock and present time. The modern play 'Mistress of the King' is held as Open-Air-Theatre at the Zwinger Palace in Dresden, which was the hot spot of August the Strongs affair with the Countess Cosel.

Tickets are available here.
The Flyer is accessable here.

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3rd Dresdner Schlössernacht on 16th July

On July 16th the parks of Castle Albrechtsberg, Eckberg Castle and Castle Lingner transform for the third time in a sprawling landscape and invite you to the Dresdner Schlössernacht.

On the slopes above the river Elbe, in the eastern suburb of Radeberg, the three beautiful castles, built in the style of historicism, Albrechtsberg Castle, Lingner Castle (formerly Villa Stockhausen) and Castle Eckberg (formerly Villa Souchay) are surrounded by extensive gardens. From the opposite (left) bank of the Elbe, these palaces and parks, offer a magnificent sight.

Tickets are available here.

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300 years of China fabrication

The Germans celebrate 300 years of china fabrication with a special stamp, showing August the Strong of Saxony and Poland with Johann Friedrich Böttger, who made china in 1708 for the first time (in Europe). In 1710 August establishes the "Königlich-Polnischen und Kurfürstlich-Sächsischen Porzellan-Manufaktur" (Royal Polish and Princely Saxonian China Factory) at the Albrechtsburg in Meißen, Saxony. The stamp is available since July 1st 2010.

(c) efiliale.de

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Industrious Female Behaviour in 18th Century Art

While browsing paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-97) I came across this painting showing a Lady making filet lace.

In the description it is mentioned as industrious work and it so corresponds with what I'm reading currently in Amanda Vickery's book 'The Gentleman's Daughter', which stars on it's cover Mrs. Catherine Swindell painted by Wright.

The sitter in the Museum's portrait is making fillet lace, a length of which is attached to the small weighted bundle and to one of the two netting shuttles that she holds. Her scissors and workbag lie on the table. Such objects have been described by Stephen Daniels ["Joseph Wright," Princeton, 1999, p. 13] as “emblems of activity,” typical of a culture in which industrious behavior in the home was admired.

I love crafts and besides knitting and crocheting I teach myself how to tatt, which is seriously an art and I admire people (historical or living), who master it.

A wonderful site to join is intatters.com - here is a link to my intatters blog post on several tatting in art pics...


Look at the details below for how she holds her shuttles.

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Prudent Economy in Painting

Browsing paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby I also stumbled upon two portraits showing the same lady, young and 'older'. Wright painted Elizabeth Copestake (+1790) as a young woman and later when she was married to Timothy Rastall. What is apparent is, that only her face changes, the dress etc are (almost) the same. That's what I call prudent economy.

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