Velvet Limelight

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Category Archives: ~ Arts and Culture

★ Ad for Van Nelle’s Afternoon Tea (1927)
~ Arts and Culture / ~ Things of the Past

★ Ad for Van Nelle’s Afternoon Tea (1927)

Posted on April 22, 2017 by Hetty • Leave a comment

★ Wonderful illustrated advert for Van Nelle’s Afternoon Tea (1927). Stylistically, this advert is so typical of the period. From the warm shades of apricot, blue and brown that make up the colour palette, to the highly idealized woman with the fashionable Marcel wave hairstyle, simple… Continue reading →

★ Vivien Leigh as ‘Anna Karenina’ (1948)
~ Arts and Culture / ~ In the Old Days

★ Vivien Leigh as ‘Anna Karenina’ (1948)

Posted on April 21, 2017 by Hetty • Leave a comment

★ Beautiful actress Vivien Leigh and co-star Mary Kerridge in a publicity still from the 1948 adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s novel, ‘Anna Karenina’. I finally found the time to sit down and actually watch this film (it has long been on my ‘must see’ list), and I have to say, it was every… Continue reading →

★ Fancy-Dress Costume by Paul Poiret (1911)
~ Arts and Culture / ~ Things of the Past

★ Fancy-Dress Costume by Paul Poiret (1911)

Posted on April 20, 2017 by Hetty • Leave a comment

★ Today marks the 138th anniversary of French fashion designer Paul Poiret’s birth. So to honour the occasion, I thought I’d take a brief look at his legacy and one of his most famous creations. A leading couturier of the early 20th Century, he… Continue reading →

★ Silver Screen Stars: Jayne Mansfield
~ Arts and Culture / ~ In the Old Days

★ Silver Screen Stars: Jayne Mansfield

Posted on April 19, 2017 by Hetty • Leave a comment

★ Pictured here in the 1950s, American actress Jayne Mansfield was born on this day in 1933. A major sex symbol in the 1950s and early 1960s, she was as famous for her personal life as for her professional career, and at the height of her fame she was the world’s most photographed… Continue reading →

★ ‘Portrait of Elsa’ by Frank Bernard Dicksee
~ Arts and Culture / ~ Things of the Past

★ ‘Portrait of Elsa’ by Frank Bernard Dicksee

Posted on April 18, 2017 by Hetty • Leave a comment

★ I love the rich saffron yellow and warm tone of this beautiful ‘Portrait of Elsa’ by Victorian painter, Frank Bernard Dicksee (before 1928). Born in London in 1853 to noted artist, Thomas Dicksee, Frank was taught how to paint from a young age, and achieved success early in his career… Continue reading →

★ Magazine Illustration by Irving Nurick (1948)
~ Arts and Culture / ~ Things of the Past

★ Magazine Illustration by Irving Nurick (1948)

Posted on April 15, 2017 by Hetty • Leave a comment

★ Great watercolour illustration by prolific American artist, Irving Nurick, as featured in the January 1948 edition of Ladies Home Journal. I know that photographs tend to dominate magazines these days, but I think there’s so… Continue reading →

★ Family Portrait by George Eastman House (c.1915)
~ Arts and Culture / ~ In the Old Days

★ Family Portrait by George Eastman House (c.1915)

Posted on April 14, 2017 by Hetty • Leave a comment

★ Wonderfully vibrant Autochrome of a family on a day out, by George Eastman House (c.1915). I can’t get enough of early colour photographs like this, because they really show that the past wasn’t all drab shades of brown, black and… Continue reading →

★ Silver Screen Stars: Ann Miller
~ Arts and Culture / ~ In the Old Days

★ Silver Screen Stars: Ann Miller

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Hetty • Leave a comment

★ Seen here in a glamorous studio portrait from the late 1940s, American actress, dancer and singer, Ann Miller, was born on this day in 1923. One of the most talented dancers of her generation, she appeared in over 40 films and earned the admiration of audiences in both… Continue reading →

★ ‘Young Decadent’ by Ramon Casas (1899)
~ Arts and Culture / ~ Things of the Past

★ ‘Young Decadent’ by Ramon Casas (1899)

Posted on April 11, 2017 by Hetty • Leave a comment

★ I’m both under the weather and horribly busy at the moment, so I rather envy the languor of this ‘Young Decadent (After the Ball)’ by Catalan Spanish artist, Ramon Casas (1899). Such a gorgeous painting. While I love the intense contrast between her dark, sombre black… Continue reading →

★ Alla Nazimova in ‘Salome’ (1923)
~ Arts and Culture

★ Alla Nazimova in ‘Salome’ (1923)

Posted on April 9, 2017 by Hetty • Leave a comment

★ Sensational publicity shot of Russian actress, Alla Nazimova, as the title character in silent film ‘Salome’ (1923). Based upon Oscar Wilde’s play of the same name, and intended to mimic the visual style of Aubrey Beardsley’s accompanying illustrations, the film featured highly stylized… Continue reading →

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  • ★ Victorian Autumn Vegetables Illustration
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  • ★ Astaire in ‘Daddy Long Legs’ (1955)
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  • ★ Astronaut Alan Shepard Meets Pres. John F. Kennedy (1961)

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Top Posts & Pages

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    ★ Maternal Bond - Mother and Child in Art
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  • ★ Happy Easter! Vintage Greetings Card (c.1910)
    ★ Happy Easter! Vintage Greetings Card (c.1910)
  • ★ 'Madame Bergeret' by Francois Boucher
    ★ 'Madame Bergeret' by Francois Boucher
  • ★ Vintage Advert for Whitworth Cycles
    ★ Vintage Advert for Whitworth Cycles

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A fantastic and very seasonal Victorian illustration of autumn vegetables, perfect for harvest festival, garden or even Thanksgiving-themed craft projects. Dating from 1898, it’s free to use however you’d like, and it's available to download right now on my website (link in bio). Enjoy! . #FreeGraphics #Victorian #VintageGraphics #vegetables #harvest #autumn #fall #seasonal #HarvestFestival #garden #1890s #printables www.velvetlimelight.con
Velvet Limelight is back! As well as history, I'll now also be posting about my Etsy store and sharing lots of lovely vintage graphics for you to use in junk journals, scrapbooking, mixed media projects, card making and more! To celebrate, here’s a truly fab picture of actress and singer Lilian Harvey (c.1926). . #HistoryBlog #VintageBlog #vintage #antique #VintageGraphics #JunkJournals #scrapbooking #MixedMedia #CardMaking #DigitalDownloads #PrintableGraphics #VintagePrintable #ephemera #EtsyStore www.velvetlimelight.com
American dancer, singer and actor, Fred Astaire, was born on this day in 1899. In a career spanning 76 years, he starred in over 30 movies and gained a reputation for his impeccable sense of rhythm and relentless perfectionism. Often remembered as one half of 'Fred and Ginger', alongside dancing partner Ginger Rogers, his sophisticated, gentlemanly demeanor saw him become one of the iconic stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood. . Demonstrating his remarkable athleticism even at the age of 56, Astaire is seen here in a studio publicity photo for the film 'Daddy Long Legs' (1955). . #FredAstaire #dancer #actor #singer #DaddyLongLegs #1950s #ClassicHollywood #GoldenAgeHollywood #VintageHollywood #BornOnThisDay #OTD #OnThisDay #ThisDayInHistory #MovieMusical #AmericanDancer #musicals #MovieStar #FilmStar #dancing #1950sFilm #VintagePhoto www.velvetlimelight.com
'Portrait of Madame la Comtesse de Cambacérès' by French artist William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1895). Currently in the collections of the Seattle Art Museum, this lovely painting depicts Louise de Rohan Chabot, who was born in Paris in 1860 and married the Count of Cambacérès in 1886. Eschewing the era's avant-garde Impressionism, Bouguereau's traditional academicist style saw him become the most sought after salon painter of his generation. Judging from this beautiful portrait, I can certainly see why. . #ComtesseDeCambaceres #LouiseDeRohanChabot #WilliamAdolpheBouguereau #WilliamBouguereau #Bouguereau #1890s #19thCentury #19thCenturyArt #FineArt #ArtOfInstagram #SeattleArtMuseum #OilPainting #painting #portrait #FemalePortrait #SalonPainter #FrenchArt #FrenchCulture #FrenchPainting #FrenchArtist #AcademicArt #AcademicistArt #FrenchAristocrat #FrenchAristocracy www.velvetlimelight.com
Arriving at the White House for the presentation ceremony of his NASA Distinguished Service Medal, astronaut Commander Alan B. Shepard and his wife Louise are greeted by President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, in this photograph taken by Robert L. Knudsen, 8th May 1961. One of the original NASA Mercury Seven astronauts, Shepard was only the second person, and first American, to ever travel into space, aboard a spacecraft he named Freedom 7. . #AlanShepard #AlanBShepard #astronaut #MercurySeven #SpaceRace #NASA #Freedom7 #SpaceExploration #JohnFKennedy #JFK #JackieKennedy #JacquelineKennedy #PresidentKennedy #KennedyWhiteHouse #1960s #OnThisDay #ThisDayInHistory #RobertKnudsen #RobertLKnudsen #history #USHistory #AmericanHistory www.velvetlimelight.com
Currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this utterly exquisite court ensemble was worn by Emily Warren Roebling for her formal presentation to Queen Victoria in 1896. For high society women, presentation at the British royal court was an incredibly important event which demanded suitably lavish formal attire. With its sumptuous textiles, intricately embroidered underskirt and bodice, long velvet train, delicate silk flowers, metallic trims, lace and ribbons, this beautiful dress certainly fits that bill, and proves that sometimes more really is more. . #CourtPresentation #HistoricalFashion #HistoricalClothing #FashionHistory #1890s #1890sFashion #19thCentury #19thCenturyFashion #HistoricalCostume #CourtGown #EmilyWarrenRoebling #TheMET #MET #MetropolitanMuseumOfArt #HighSociety #1890sDress #AntiqueClothing #CourtDress www.velvetlimelight.com

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