Ran across this portrait. The pearls sewn around the neckline are interesting.
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x71/Dona_Catalina/Generic%20Stuff/NeroccioPortraitofaLadyc1490.jpg)
I believe that is a type of bilament (sp?) and is indeed H/A. Bilament (sp?) is basically jewels or beads or whatever, sewn onto the gown at the neckline to look like a necklace.
Maria de Medici also have some nice pearl decos on her dress, on the trims:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/firenze2/bronzino1551mariadm.jpg
Now someone ought to post some of the amazing Elizabeth I portraits. She might have been queen of England, but she was queen of pearl decos as well!!
Here are 2 closeups of the same pic of QE1 that I got to take in person in London... You can definitely see her amounts of pearling here!!
(http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8d704b3127ccec566de7808d600000120O10AbtGjRqzcNWIPbz4Y/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D1/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/)
(http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8cf33b3127ccec5ccb92cfcd300000040O10AbtGjRqzcNWIPbz4Y/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D1/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/)
There are plenty of beading or pearling on the Pelican Portrait...This will be a challange for me coming up over the winter for a friend of mine. Along the Bodice edge, it appears that there are Fresh Water pearls. I recieved my newest FireMountain Gem catalouge the other day. They now will be carrying Fresh Water Pearls!!!! Huzzah!!!
(http://www.marileecody.com/gloriana/elizabethpelican.jpg)
Lots of 8mm pearls on this one as well. Another gown i want to do, but for a 30" Doll some day!!!
(http://www.marileecody.com/gloriana/elizabethphoenix.jpg)
Quote from: operafantomet on November 12, 2008, 03:24:19 PM
Maria de Medici also have some nice pearl decos on her dress, on the trims:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/firenze2/bronzino1551mariadm.jpg
That one is currently my screen saver and next on my to-do list!
Quote from: sealion on November 15, 2008, 08:10:11 AM
That one is currently my screen saver and next on my to-do list!
Oh, how funny! I do that, too. My laptop has a detail from Galizia's Judith:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/br/0/08/GaliziaJudith_with_the_head_of_Holofernes.jpeg)
And my desktop has one of the Ghirlandaio frescoes!
Beading has been around as long as clothing. People caught on early on that small bit of painted clay or a shell, or a pearl with holes in them really jazzed up an outfit. :)
A early medieval example of beading (http://www.virtue.to/articles/images/1130_real_sleeve.jpg)
The first gowns here have some lovely beading (http://sayaespanola.glittersweet.com/extant.htm)
Click on pretty much any portrait and you'll see beading around the necklines (http://www.elizabethan-portraits.com/Catherine_and_Anne.htm)
There are tons of examples out there of beading.
I wish I had a better copy of this portrait by Niccolo Dell'Abate.
But it looks like her partlet is beaded with pearls.
(http://www.scholarsresource.com/images/thumbnails/192/m/mif1838.jpg)
Quote from: DonaCatalina on November 17, 2008, 11:33:25 AM
I wish I had a better copy of this portrait by Niccolo Dell'Abate.
But it looks like her partlet is beaded with pearls.
(http://www.scholarsresource.com/images/thumbnails/192/m/mif1838.jpg)
Oh God!! I've been looking for that portrait! I saw it in a museum Rome in September - I think it was Galleria Spada - but it wasn't in any of their books or postcards, and photo was prohibited. Even this small version is helpful - thanks a lot!
(http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~sahrye/diaries/images/image_medicilace_partlet.jpg)