En effeuillant la marguerite

A new day has dawned that has a purer taste.  I am therefore featuring another George Barbier illustration for its youthfulness.  I am also featuring textile designs by William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896), a British designer, writer, printer: the Kelmscott Chaucer, a close friend of Sir Edward Burne-Jones: a man of many talents.

Un peu, beaucoup, passionnément…

In Barbier’s illustration, the Lady wonders whether he loves her un peu, beaucoup or passionnément…

When I was very young, long before I was interested in men, I would pick the petals off daisies.  The last petal told me an imaginary truth.  It’s a lovely memory, but it was another age.  An age when you waited for the gentleman to phone you.  An age when you were afraid he would turn his back on you if you showed your true feelings.

I am glad times have changed.  A woman should be able to phone a man and suggest a date.  But I miss picking at a daisy and I would like to wear that dress, but not to walk in the countryside.  I would wear it to walk in a beautifully manicured garden with little paths.

According to Wikipedia, William Morris was a “libertarian socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement. He founded a design firm in partnership with the artist Edward Burne-Jones, and the poet and artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti.”  I have featured works by William Morris in other posts.

As for George Barbier (1882-1932), he was a French illustrator.  The work shown above is entitled “N’en dites rien,” (Do not say a word about it).  It was featured in an exclusive fashion magazine called: La Gazette du Bon Ton, in 1913.  “Bon ton” means good taste.

George Barbier is featured with permission from Art Resource, NY.  As for the samples of textile designed by Mr Morris, Wikipedia was my source.

© Micheline Walker