Monday, January 5, 2015

Have You Measured Your Bustline Lately?

Not that bustline, silly. Oh, how the English language can deceive with its double meaning of words! I'm talking about your bustline collection.

I seem to have quite the gathering of busts in my decor, especially if you include full statuary in that category. Would you like to see my bustline...collection? Allow me to introduce you to those among my collection...

By the way, every single one of these have no particular pedigree, though a few have sentimental backstories from whom or how they were acquired. All are either vintage or antique, acquired from estate sales, auctions, antique stores and/or shows over the years.
"Orfanello"
"Atala", Art Nouveau Native American heroine in French novel by Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand
Alexander Backer (NY) boy & girl busts (after Houdon). MoMA "Seated Dancer" (foreground)

A. Moreau's, "Harp Girl"
Three Graces salt statue (unmarked)
Art Deco gals, repurposed (L, unmarked, R, Petite Choses, USA)
Little violinist lamp (unmarked)
Seated fairy, reading (unmarked)
Capodimonte girl, boy (pictured with quarter for size perspective)
Made in France - girl (my fave), boy (after Houdon). As a matter of perspective, the books pictured are miniatures.
Oops! - real (mannequin) busts, upcycled & adorned with antique & vintage articles
Rousseau's peasant girl, boy lamps
Boulton's Chief Quanah Parker, Comanche
Juan Clara's "Girl Standing on Stool" (amidst a few Hummels)
The next two are currently in storage for now.
Terra cotta bust of young girl, unmarked
Marwal, "Marguerite" peasant girl
Here's one I actually sold (below). This little girl was so heavy, she bruised me every time I would move her around the house (solid alabaster).
Alabaster girl, unmarked
Have I mentioned my statuary in the garden? I wrote a post titled, "Collected Cast of Garden Characters" last year on them.  I may or may not have collected one or more since then, I cannot lie.

I've always bought busts and statuary simply for their personal appeal. I can certainly see a theme in my selection, now that I put them together in one post. I gravitate toward child-like or putto characters, and French, for the most part.  I also love the graceful lines of dancer-like figures.  I thought for the longest time the Native American Comanche figure was a stand alone choice, which goes well with my Indian Summer in the Sunroom. However, I just recently discovered the spelter "Atala" bust that looked like an Art Nouveau woman with a scarf or veil on her head is actually a Native American heroine, as envisioned by the novel penned by Frenchman Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand in 1801 (credited with being the founder of Romanticism in French literature). 

Is statuary something you include in your decor?  If so, how do you lean in your choices? How's your bustline - flat, or well-endowed? Do tell!

Sharing with any number of these fine hosts:

3 comments:

  1. Would you be willing to part with the girl on the table next to the bird bath? It is a beautiful statue.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your interest, but she is already sold! :(

      Delete
  2. Hello. Would you mind telling me how much the girl with the flower next to the bird bath sold for? I just acquired the exact same one from my grandmother. Although I would never sell her, I am however curious what she may be worth.

    ReplyDelete