H/A example of beading

[DonaCatalina]

Ran across this portrait. The pearls sewn around the neckline are interesting.

[Master James]

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. 

[operafantomet]

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!!

[LadyElizabeth]

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!!

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

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!!!



Lots of 8mm pearls on this one as well. Another gown i want to do, but for a 30" Doll some day!!!

[sealion]

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!

[gem]

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:



And my desktop has one of the Ghirlandaio frescoes!

[isabelladangelo]

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

The first gowns here have some lovely beading

Click on pretty much any portrait and you'll see beading around the necklines

There are tons of examples out there of beading. 

[DonaCatalina]

I wish I had a better copy of this portrait by Niccolo Dell'Abate.
But it looks like her partlet is beaded with pearls.

[operafantomet]

I wish I had a better copy of this portrait by Niccolo Dell'Abate.
But it looks like her partlet is beaded with pearls.

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!

[DonaCatalina]