Little Augury has beaten me to it here with the new portrait of Princes William & Harry in uniforms of the Household Cavalry, The Blues & Royals. Painted by Nicky Philipps for the National Portrait Gallery.
The charming informality of the two young soldiers references two great paintings of the past.
Lord John and Lord Bernard Stuart, two brothers who died in the English Civil War by Anthony van Dyck c 1638
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Life, or rather television, imitated Art 40 years ago when the James Bellamy character in Upstairs/Downstairs was attired as disported himself
ReplyDeleteexactly like the figure in the Tissot painting. Long legs, that unnerving
red stripe...it all gave me the vapours, if truth be told.
Much better that that little augury person. of course I love the historical references here at Rose C'est. I wonder if that little augury person is a lady or a gent? Oh wait- that's me! Jinx, only do I bow to (sycophant)that I am to you my English Rosie friend. little augury-the gal.
ReplyDeleteNice vapours, Toby? I have an affecting memory of a gentleman in his cavalry overalls (I think that might be the name for those tight trousers with the stripe down them caught under the boot?), braces and his collarless shirt with the top button undone. The undressing went no further. I didn't want it to and it wasn't that kind of situation!
ReplyDeletela - there is and only could be one little augury and you were never ambiguous about your gender like some .. And I follow where you lead.
ReplyDeleteSpiffy dress blues. I used to have a book of standard officer's dress for the US Armed services circa WWII. Some of it was pretty impressive. Even the lower grade officer's evening wear was Hollywood-esque. When my brother was in the army his dress uniform was polyester. In a dark shade of olive. It made him look like a hick preacher with service stripes.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Rothmans ever used that picture of Burnaby to sell it's filterless line. Tissot was clever to use that red diagonal.
That red stripe is a lightning conductor, earthed right here! I know what you mean about new uniforms - tragic. Pity the poor Canadian navy who once had to wear bottle green and call themselves by army rank. Incidentally I have a theory about the painting of warships, since we're off the point. The greater saturation of battleship grey, the more aggressive the nation. As far as I can see in descending order it's Russia, USA then UK .. and Canada, Oh Canada, is eau de nil.
ReplyDeleteI just want to dive into the Tissot painting of
ReplyDeleteF. Burnaby.
Splendid.
jjj
I tried very hard to locate Tissots that included male models and found a few. See http://melbourneblogger.blogspot.com/2009/05/biblical-experience-in-art-james-tissot.html
ReplyDeleteBut your portrait of Frederick Burnaby is a gem.
Thanks
Hels
Art and Architecture, mainly
And drown in it..! Thank you Judith
ReplyDeleteHels, thank you for that reference to your post on Tissot's religious paintings. I found them surprising and not sure if I liked them to be honest. A fascinating change of focus in his life.
ReplyDeleteThe Tissot painting is beautiful, not sure I really like the painting of the princes but I like the way they are posed. Harry looks pretty gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteYou uniform queens. Pull yourselves together!
ReplyDeleteI think the Tissot painting was the inspiration for a 60th birthday photograph of Prince Charles, (wearing a Guards uniform), with his arm casually draped over the back of the chair:
ReplyDeletehttp://corcol.blogspot.com/2008/11/less-bling.html
Absolutely, thank you. I hadn't noticed that at the time.
ReplyDeleteNow I am thinking about the two very beautiful Stuart brothers *sigh*. More silk and satin than my wedding outfit, gorgeous lush creatures that they were. And just a touch regal/aloof. The portrait was painted for their parents, just before the lads went off on their Grand Tour to Italy.
ReplyDeleteYet they too were killed in one stupid Civil War battle or another, not long after returning from their Grand Tour. What a waste of beautiful young men :(
I agree about the waste of these two beautiful young men. I am not sure that I could agree that the Civil War battle might be stupid! One shouldn't reduce this important rupture in our constitutional history to folly .. but I know what you mean in principle about the tragedy of making war.
ReplyDelete