I was instantly enamoured of this little hand painted picture when I came across it. Those naughty “amorini” (little cupids), so finely depicted in exquisite and vibrant colours captured my glance.
“Pompei – I Farmacisti” by M. Cirillo, inspired to the antique mural frescos at the House of the Vettii in Pompei
The subject is inspired to the antique Roman frescos in the hall of the House of the Vettii, in Pompei, Italy.
Isn’t in remarkable that Pompei was rediscovered in modern times after laying buried under ashes and soil for centuries? The frescos still display such elegantly vivid colours, as if those rooms were still inhabited.
The frescos in the main room of the Vettii house are superb and denote a forward-looking attitude in matter of style, as they transitioned from the previous Roman style to a new one.
This little painting has just been listed on my Etsy shop VforVintageLondon.
I love vintage paintings and my collection counts many pieces. One section is dedicated to landscapes and nature.
The tradition of British landscape painting: views of sea, lakes, streams, mountains and trees. I can’t resist the pull of those wide spaces, the rugged solitary beauty, or the romantic serene scenes. These views evoke positive feelings – a sense of inner peace and well being.
I am now listing a few British pieces – some is vintage and some is antique artwork.
There is this little picture of a ruined castle near a mountain cliff by the shore of a lake, possibly depicting a Scottish loch. The location bears good resemblance with the ruined Kilchum Castle on the Loch Awe. The scene has a pretty and peaceful atmosphere, with warm tones.
Antique oil painting, 19th century English schoolVery old canvas, with mark by Muller, an art provider in the City of London
Then there is this little charming vintage painting with beautiful colours and showing a marine view. A country cottage is perched atop a gentle hill, with dry stone wall and colourful front garden. Opposite, we have a wide view of the sea, with rolling waves, rocks, and a fluffy cloud sky. Close to the viewer, a wide bay with sandy beach. On the very far horizon a rain shower is hinted. This serene and gentle marine landscape depicts Runswick Bay, a little village near Whitby in Yorkshire.
Vintage painting of Yorkshire village by the sea, from the 1990s
What about this rugged mountain landscape with a solitary stream, perhaps an English dale, or a corner of the Scottish Highlands? Or is that a wild area in Wales? I love those majestic peaks in the far distance, and a handful of birds dancing in circle above scattered rocks. The earthy tones mixed with greens and teals. The grand and remote peace.
Are these the English Dales or the wild Wales?
The last painting is an antique oil of a Scottish Highland landscape and is one of my all-time favourite. The composition again depicts the countryside, this time less remote, with a river gently turning, its water flowing slowly across mountains and hills, with vegetation and trees. You would expect to see someone appearing from a little path in between the greenery. Does this view really exist or is it an artistic fancy? Where does the river flow into? How would it look in stormy weather? I very much like the old frame in which the painting sits, with its rich yet elegant motifs.
Do you like paintings? What’s your favourite style or subject? Do you hang or display pictures in your home?
Long ago I purchased a set of antique watercolours depicting studies of flowers and plants. I finally added this one to my antique shop An Old Country House.
This picture is finely drawn and hand coloured, and represents four types of wild flowers. Pictured from top to bottom and left to right, these are:
– Chinese Arrowhead (aka Sagittaria Trifolia) – Irish Heather (a type of wild bell) – Common Cowslip – (Scotch) Burnet Rose
It’s an exquisite original artwork from 19th century English school. I find it so delicate and elegant. My favourite flowers are the Irish Heather and the Burnet Rose.
Irish Heather bellScotch Burnet Rose
Thanks to its fine quality, it easily suits both modern and period / traditional interiors.
I’m a bit reluctant to let this go, yet I have a great number of paintings and a small flat..
You might be aware from previous blogposts of mine that I am a collector of old pieces, some of which are listed in my Etsy shops. Here are some pieces that will soon be listed.
A selection of vintage pieces for my Etsy shop
A beautiful needlework picture depicting Pierrot. I love the colours and it’s of good quality, just ready for framing. I’d love it in a white frame.
A wooden box of solid wood in an unusual drop shape, a vintage or antique piece.
A stunning candleholder with aged patina and worn silver gilding. Marked with “Freud Ltd London (C)”. From the font type and patina it would appear to be antique. A quick search did not yield any matches.
A pair of carved bone masks. I normally don’t buy masks but these seemed a good pair of nice make.
Yesterday we were on a walk in the neighbourhood and I went to check one of the charity shops (thrift stores). Lately I haven’t been on the lookout for items to sell because there are plenty still on my shelves awaiting to be added to the shops.
Usually I’m perusing second hand fashion for quality pieces for own use, to support a circular economy that benefits charitable causes and doesn’t further burden our planet. So I buy used things instead of newly produced clothing that continues to unnecessarily use up the resources of our planet.
This time I happen to stumble upon pieces that I thought would be a nice addition for my vintage shop and didn’t want to leave them behind.
They soon will be listed, and hopefully later adorn a new loving home. For now I’m enjoying them on the mantlepiece.
The other pictures shown in this photo are also available for purchase (worldwide shipping).
I really love this antique, probably Victorian, chest of drawers, despite its sad state.
Victorian chest of drawers in need of restoration
My hope is to one day being able to use it in my home – but before that, it will need at least a degree of TLC to make it functional, if not perfect. I might be in for a looong term plan…
Some time ago I made a start, by repairing one of the broken drawers: the back was partly broken and coming off, part of the sides were split and bits had come off.
The sides are being repaired – the clamps hold the parts in place while the glue sets. Note the back is still broken and the dove-tail joins are coming undone
To restore it, I used wood glue to reattach the parts that had broken off, while for the joins I opted for liquid hide glue because it’s reversible (this is what could be used for “proper’ restoration, as it can be later taken apart if needed).
This is the drawer after the repair
I’m quite pleased with the results!
Ideally, this work should be done in a garage or a workshop – that is, if you had one….
Quando diciamo "castello", la fantasia porta ad evocare un universo fantastico e meraviglioso popolato di dame e cavalieri, di assedi e di duelli, di amori e delitti, storie e leggende, nelle pietre dei castelli sono incisi secoli di storia. In questo Blog voglio condividere la mia passione per questo tipo di architetture, scoprire insieme le diversità da stato a stato, le loro bellezze, la loro storia e i loro misteri. Un anticipato GRAZIE alla collaborazione di Wikipedia, l'enciclopedia libera. per la realizzazione dei contenuti ! Se hai foto, articoli di castelli oppure rievocazioni storiche da segnalarmi la mia e-mail è : castlesintheworld@yahoo.it
A MEANDER INTO MEDIEVAL HISTORY INCLUDING MEDIEVAL LONDON, PALACES, CASTLES, CHURCH MONUMENTS, TOMBS, YORKIST KINGS AND QUEENS, HEROES, VILLAINS AND VILLAINESSES AND THE ODD CATTE..
Lucia Scalisi is a formally trained Conservator of Paintings with over 30 years experience both in the Museum and private sectors. Conservation is carried out to Museum standards and Continuous Professional Development is a feature of this practice.
This Jane Austen blog brings Jane Austen, her novels, and the Regency Period alive through food, dress, social customs, and other 19th C. historical details related to this topic.
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