Mellerio dits Meller: the Brooch

Mellerio dits Meller (est. 1613)

Dachshund (brooch)

circa 1910s (?)

(sapphire, cornaline and gold)

     Such a small and stubby pup created by such an historic and prestigious jewellery company. Rather geometric and sharp in shape the dachshund comes off as perky and attentive, and no doubt a bit peckish, too, with its long snout seeming to forever reach out just that much further to have another nosey swipe at that invisible pigeon or feline - oh, what teasers. As with Van Cleef & Arpels' Squat Duckling (see post for 29 December 2013) this dog carries its character proudly on its little shoulders. Perhaps not as lively as the other brooch, it still catches one's attention if not for its minimal but clearly skilled handy-work and its elegant armour of bright stones. The subtle wit of attaching the pin-and-chain to the dachshund's 'collar' as if it were an actual leash also adds a touch of humour to the piece, almost as if to warn the wearer that this dog, short but mischievous, requires a close eye and a firm hand - because he might just run for it. 

Alexander McQueen: the Shoe

Alexander McQueen

Men's Leather Buckle Wrap Boot

circa 2010 (?)

     Yes, these are works of art. The subtly of their cool, classic shape, along with their clean-cut panels of suède leather, are what mark these boots as bearers of pure style - with a capital 'S'.

      Simplicity and taste are the keys that differentiate style from fashion: while style almost always plays a part in popular fashions, fashion rarely determines the ever-present grace of good style. Style is also less affected by time than it is by the person wearing and moulding it to who they are; fashion, on the other hand, is undoubtedly affected by time, if not by every other minute.

     With that said, true style can be worn anywhere, anytime. These McQueen boots, no matter the weather, may be worn with an elegant three-piece suit (shall we say in a deep grey with a pale green lining?), with a pair of cuffed-up slim jeans and a burnt-orange hoodie or even with a pair of casual autumnal shorts, perhaps belted, topped by a well-worn leather jacket. With either the buckles loosely undone or snuggly wrapped around the ankles, it is despite the number of possible outfits or type of wearer these boots might accompany that make them statement pieces. Whereas blue-crocodile, gilt-soled leather dress shoes may flicker in and out of fashionable strength like a feebly-lit candle, McQueen's boots proudly but quietly orchestrate nearly any outfit, male or female's, to the pin-point of timeless perfection. They are indifferent to the opinion of any slave of the fashion world, but remain loyal to the wearer of pure Style. It would be worth giving these wooden heels a happy jump and kick in mid-air knowing that such boots still exist today to be walked in, worn-in and, of course, loved.

Lomonosov Porcelain (LFZ)

Lomonosov Porcelain (LFZ)

Painted Thimble

circa (?) 
(LFZ porcelain production established in the mid-eighteenth century)

     A small and tangible vista into the placid life surrounding two old cathedrals. Their structures are wobbly and almost mystical; their frames brittle but inviting against the white skies. With the redish pink, blue and orange and gold the artist emulates the silence and solitude that many seek in order to escape themselves, their thoughts and worries. The blue-peppered hills echo the air, dotted and orange like a snowy evening at sunset, with golden drops acting like floating faeries. Even the central blue tree seems to fly, spreading its branches like wings as if to shelter those wanting to have a quiet sit underneath it. It joins the two churches like a priest itself, attempting to bring together all under an equal roof. Its knobby joints stick out harshly, bare of their greenery for now, but they symbolise all the same a perpetual presence that is comforting and true. For the religious and athiestic alike, this little thimble deserves attention. No matter its size, condition or purpose, the degree of attention and love that the artist instilled into it makes it a treasure of all arts. It represents dedication and a pride of personal skill, and for this it should win anyone's respect.

Rudolf von Alt

Rudolf von Alt

The Large Spruce (Bad Gastein, Austria)

circa 1899

     Such a lush and healthy giant gently dwarfing the person below it pruning their garden, while it, too, is being dwarfed by the great sky above it. Here, there is a domination of Nature. The artist's texture of watercolour is crisp and bright, despite using rather mundane colours. Each leaf and stem and twig threatens to burst through the paper, even those in the forests on the sloping hillsides far beyond, giving the impression that this is in fact not a sheaf of painted paper, but a mere glass pane through which we are - right this very moment - looking out onto the Austrian countryside.

   This scene breathes realism, but rather than that which evokes a perfect detail-for-detail rendition of the exact world, von Alt transformed each leaf and stem and twig into its alternate, but all the while real, ego - as if flora could have such things. Through only watercolour he seems to have combined the ambiance of the wilderness, the actual living air, with the plants themselves. He melded two of the four fundamental states of matter into one; from a gas and a solid to an almost solid gas, we look out onto a scene explicit with simmering, swaying, monumental trees and all things wild living in a thick, gurgling atmosphere. We may not see warm colours, but do we not sense the chilling, vibrant beat of Nature itself, its many hearts pulsing as of only a few metres away? And no, we see no literal movement, but do we not feel the overpowering triumph of Nature just being present - here, there and everywhere? This watercolour, flat as it may be, certainly puts many daunting but beautiful questions of existence into perspective.