Your Lover's Eye

Through artist Victoria Carlin, the tradition of painting lover’s eyes survives in the 21st century. Recently, guest blogger Jo Manning did a series of posts on lover’s eyes for us and explained their history and the story behind these cherished keepsakes. Today, the cost of purchasing these antique eyes is astronomical, but through Victoria’s brush, you can now have a portrait done of your own, or your lover’s, eye at an affordable price, thus the tradition endures.

Victoria studied at the School for Visual Arts and the Student’s Art League of New York. Additionally, she studied at Jerusalem’s Betzalel Academy of Art. Victoria eads painting workshops in Italy, England, Canada and the United States. Victoria’s talents and reputation as a serious fine artist has brought her numerous and prestigious commissions for portraits of both private and public figures. Victoria’s work hangs locally as well as internationally in Israel, Ireland and Ecuador.

After much success in the world of fine art, Victoria has now followed her passion – blending her superb talent with a rich heritage of romanticism – making her exquisite pieces available to everyone, as the perfect gift for that special loved one.

As Victoria recently explained –

“I first became aware of lover’s eye when I saw one in either France or England. I fell instantly in love. I have worked as a commissioned portrait artist for the past 17 years. My goal as a fine artist is to communicate on a two dimensional canvas not only how that person looks, but who they are, the visual essence of the person. I found that if one were able to paint the feeling of the eyes in the portrait, then the commission was a success… that the soul, that life spark was in the painting of the eye.

“In today’s modern world, people no longer commission an artist to paint a portrait of their love ones. Once one is exposed to the world of honoring, remembering and showing love through portraiture, most people would love to have one. Sadly for many the cost is beyond their budget.

“This made me realize that a relatively small amount of money, which would otherwise be spent on gifts such as flowers, lingerie or jewelery, one could commission an artist create a fine art painting of that person’s eye – a lover’s eye.”

Victoria knows how much a lover’s eye can mean to someone as a momento because she has a very special story of her own regarding these keepsakes –

“My fiance and I had been high school sweethearts who parted and went on to create big lives with children and careers. Then, the stars re-aligned and we discovered that we were both single again. I had been dating someone else and was about to send him my own lover’s eye when Ron stepped back into my life and I just knew then that the other guy was not meant to receive this keepsake. It became very personal, as though I were sending a part of me. . . Ron was so touched by my lover’s eye its now on his desk front center and is, he says, one of his most precious things.”

Victoria has been commissioned to paint several children’s eyes and her eyes have become popular as wedding day gifts. You can find more examples of Victoria’s work and read more about her at her website, My Lover’s Eye.

A Christening at Holdernesse House

The Royal Lady’s Magazine, and Archives of the Court of St. James’s

April 1831

Royal Court Fete at Holdernesse House
(the name was changed to Londonderry House in 1872)

The preparations for this unique and splendid entertainment were completed on Wednesday morning; and a brilliant illumination which was displayed in front of the Drawing-room suite of windows, was lighted by 6 o’clock. It consisted of the Shield of England, surmounted by a Royal Crown, with the word “Adelaide”
beneath, and enclosed by an immense wreath of laurel; every part being in the exact colours of the object sought to be represented; and on each side was a star, with the letters W. A. A Guard of Honour of a hundred men, commanded by Captains Hulse and Clinton, was stationed outside the mansion in readiness to receive the Royal visiters on their arrival. Considerably before six o’clock the whole of the select company invited to be present at the Christening and the Banquet had arrived, and were assembled in the grand yellow Drawing-room, where the ceremony was to take place. Before the above hour the Royal Family had also arrived, with the exception of the King and Queen.

Holdernesse House

At length, shortly after six o’clock, her Majesty arrived. Her Majesty was accompanied by the Landgravine of Hesse Homburg, and attended by a numerous suite, and escorted by a guard of honour. On her Majesty’s carriage drawing up at the door of Holdernesse House, the noble host, Lord Londonderry, advanced and assisted her Majesty to alight. The Queen then took the arm of Lord Londonderry. The Marchioness of Londonderry was waiting to receive her Majesty at the foot of the grand staircase, which her Majesty ascended leaning on the arm of Lord Londonderry, and was by him conducted to the Grand Drawing-room, where the company were assembled, and the Ceremony of the Baptism was to be performed. Her Majesty and the noble host were preceded to the drawing-room by Lord Castlereagh, the eldest son of Lord Londonderry, bearing wax-lights; and they were immediately followed, first by the Landgravine of Hesse Homburg and the Marchioness, and then by the ladies and gentlemen of her Majesty’s immediate suite. During this period the vestibule and all the mansion resounded with the national anthem, which was played by the band of the 3d foot guards, stationed at the foot of the grand staircase.

Immediately on the arrival of the Queen and her suite, the ceremony of the christening was performed, by his Grace the Archbishop of York, who was assisted by the Rev. W. R. Wyatt, Lord Londonderry’s chaplain. The infant is fifteen months old, and was named Adelaide Emmelina Caroline; the male sponsor to the ceremony being the Duke of Rutland; and the two female sponsors, the Queen and Lady Caroline Wood, sister to the Marchioness of Londonderry. After the ceremony was concluded, her Majesty presented to the infant a gift of a superbly-chased silver-gilt cup and stand.

The Sculpture Gallery, Holdernesse House

Immediately after the ceremony of the Baptism was concluded, the band in the vestibule struck up the national anthem, and the Queen was conducted by the Marquis of Londonderry into the Statue Gallery, where a splendid banquet was prepared. The banquet table was placed in the centre of the saloon, at the right hand of the noble host, in the centre of the table, on the side opposite the door,—not at either extremity. On the left of the Marquis was the Margravine of Hesse Homburg; and opposite to him the Marchioness of Londonderry was seated. The other guests were placed in the order of their precedence.

The Dresses of some of the distinguished guests were splendid.

Her Majesty was attired in a rich white Monde dress over a satin slip; beautiful lace lappets. Head-dress of diamonds, and white ostrich plume; brilliant necklace and ear-drops.

The Landgravine of Hesse Hamburg.—A plain white crape dress, full lappets of white blonde, and bandeau and bouquet of brilliants.

The Duchess of Cumberland.—A white blonde and satin dress, richly embroidered with gold, a beautiful crimson cashmere beret, with an embroidery in front, composed of brilliants, and necklace also of brilliants.

The Duchess of Gloucester.—A white crape dress over satin slip. Head-dress of beautiful pearls.

The Princess Lieven.—A pink crape dress, richly embroidered in silver lama, and the body very handsomely ornamented with diamonds. Head-dress, a pink terry velvet beret, with feathers and brilliants.

The Marchioness of Londonderry. — A beautiful white blonde-lace dress over a while satin slip; a isone entirely composed of brilliants. Head-dress, brilliant garland of diamonds, with a comb ornamented with large pearls ; an eselavage necklace, composed of immense pear-shaped pearls and diamonds. Her Ladyship also wore a bouquet of costly brilliants at her left breast, and three rows of pearls suspended from the left epnulette by a lozenge of brilliants, terminating on the right side towards thejwaist. Head-dress, an immense tiara of diamonds, surmounted by moveable pieces, with a plume of fifteen rich ostrich feathers. The most conspicuous part of this nttire was the zone or cincture of brilliants, full two inches in width, and consisting of one entire mass of brilliants, divided only by the invisible setting of each.

The Duchess de Dino.—A blue “Arabesque” gauze and gold robe, elegantly trimmed with feathers and vine-leaves; plume of ostrich feathers, with brilliants.

The Marchioness of Salisbury.—A very rich white satin dress, trimmed with oriental gold. Corsage trimmed with rich blonde lace; enamels and di
amonds. Head-dress, ostrich feathers and diamonds.

Countess of Jersey.—A grenat and white gauze dress, ” crochettee” with gold, trimmed with gold ribbon and aiguillettes, feathers.

Lady Robert Peel.—A tulle blonde dress, elegantly trimmed with white and gold gauze ribbon. A white crape hat and feathers, ornamented with costly diamonds.

Lady Ann Beckett.—Rich white satin dress embroidered with gold; a profusion of beautiful diamonds, and a splendid plume of ostrich feathers.

Lady Sophia Lennox.—A white satin dress, neatly and tastefully trimmed with silver lama; a rich and delicate plume of white ostrich feathers, with diamonds.

The Duke of Gloucester.—A. military full uniform.

The Duke of Sussex.—The full Windsor uniform, with several orders.

Prince Leopold.—In the uniform of a British Field Marshal.

The Prince of Orange.—The same.

Prince Talleyrand.—A richly embroidered’ Court Dress, with several orders.

Prince Esterhazy.—A splendid Austrian Hussar Uniform.

The Duke of Devonshire.—A richly embroidered Court Dress, of the most costly description, with the ribbon of the Order of the Garter, and a garter embroidered with beautiful brilliants; and several diamond stars of different orders and diamond epaulettes, and diamond knee and shoe buckles. As Lord Chamberlain, his Grace wore the gold key.

Note: Holdernesse/Londonderry House stood in Park Lane, London, and was demolished in 1962.

Upstairs, Downstairs

OMG! They’ve cut scenes from the original BBC version shown in the UK, the most important to U/D fans being Rose’s return to Eaton Place. A scene loaded with memories and pathos. You may recall I had the scene up in the sidebar last week. Click here to see it, so that you won’t be denied. Philistines!

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I must say that I love Maud, Lady Holland, world traveler and owner of an adorable monkey. They’ve taken the ubiquitous “crotchety, severe old matriach of the family” and changed her up into a delicious and fiesty lady who deserves more screen time. I’ll teach you to smoke, indeed! You can read an interview in which Eileen Atkins discusses her role here.

Adrian Scarborough plays Mr Pritchard, the new butler, to perfection. Worlds away from Mr. Hudson, as he should be, whilst being both efficient and a mess, quirky and slightly mysterious. Is he a good guy or a bad guy?

From the Pen of Horace Walpole

Princess Amalie

A Letter from Horace Walpole to the Earl of Hertford

Strawberry Hill, Easter Sunday, April 7, 1760

Your first wish will be to know how the King does: he came to Richmond last Monday for a week; but appeared suddenly and unexpected at his levee at St . James’s last Wednesday; this was managed to prevent a crowd. Next day he was at the drawing-room, and at chapel on Good Friday. They say, he looks pale; but it is the fashion to call him very well:—I wish it may be true. The Duke of Cumberland is actually set out for Newmarket to-day: he too is called much better; but it is often as true of the health of princes as of their prisons, that there is little distance between each and their graves. There has been a fire at Gunnersbury, which burned four rooms: her servants announced it to Princess Amalie (daughter of King George III) with that wise precaution of “Madam, don’t be frightened!—” accordingly, she was terrified. When they told her the truth, she said, “I am very glad; I had concluded my brother was dead.”—So much for royalties!

Northumberland House

. . . . . Now, for my disaster; you will laugh at it, though it was woeful to me. I was to dine at Northumberland-house, and went a little after hour: there I found the Countess, Lady Betty Mekinsy, Lady Strafford; my Lady Finlater, who was never out of Scotland before; a tall lad of fifteen, her son; Lord Drogheda, and Mr. Worseley. At five, arrived Mr. Mitchell, who said the Lords had begun to read the Poorbill, which would take at least two hours, and perhaps would debate it afterwards. We concluded dinner would be called for, it not being very precedented for ladies to wait for gentlemen:—no such thing. Six o’clock came,—seven o’clock came,— our coaches came,— well! we sent them away, and excuses were we were engaged. Still the Countess’s heart did not relent, nor uttered a syllable of apology. We wore out the wind and the weather, the opera and the play, Mrs. Cornelys’s and Almack’s, and every topic that would do in a formal circle. We hinted, represented—in vain. The clock struck eight: my lady, at last, said, she would go and order dinner; but it was a good half-hour before it appeared. We then sat down to a table for fourteen covers; but instead of substantiate, there was nothing but a profusion of plates striped red, green, and yellow, gilt plate, blacks and uniforms!

James Ogilvy, 5th Earl of Findlater

My Lady Finlater, who had never seen these embroidered dinners, nor dined after three, was famished. The first course stayed as long as possible, in hopes of the lords: so did the second. The dessert at last arrived, and the middle dish was actually set on when Lord Finlater and Mr. Mackay arrived! — would you believe it?—the dessert was remanded, and the whole first course brought back again !— Stay, I have not done:—just as this second first course had done its duty, Lord Northumberland, Lord Strafford, and Mekinsy came in, and the whole began a third time! Then the second course, and the dessert! I thought we should have dropped from our chairs with fatigue and fumes! When the clock struck eleven, we were asked to return to the drawing-room, and drink tea and coffee, but I said I was engaged to supper, and came home to bed. My dear lord, think of four hours and a half in a circle of mixed company, and three great dinners, one after another, without interruption;—no, it exceeded our day at Lord Archer’s! Mrs. Armiger, and Mrs. Southwell, Lady Gower’s niece, are dead, and old Dr. Young, the poet. Good night!

Upstairs, Downstairs Returns!

Over the past four decades, the original series of Upstairs, Downstairs has been watched by more than one billion people in more than 40 countries, inspiring a whole new generation of period dramas, including the recent PBS series Downton Abbey. Seemingly the whole of England sat round their tellies on Sunday nights following the fortunes of the Bellamy Family. When the series ended in 1977, Alistair Cooke, the program’s host, declared that there should be a national day of mourning. This Sunday night, for the first time since it went off the air, Upstairs, Downstairs will debut three new episodes (with more to follow in 2012), providing a long-awaited sequel to the original series, which followed the aristocratic Bellamys and their below-stairs help from the pre-First World War era to the 1930 market crash.

Co-produced by the BBC and Masterpiece on PBS, the latest Upstairs, Downstairs picks up in 1936 with an all-new cast joining the series’ co-creator and star Jean Marsh, who plays Rose once again. Series co-creator Eileen Atkins (Cranford) also stars, as do Keeley Hawes, Ed Stoppard and Art Malik (The Jewel in the Crown).

The new series opens with a new couple moving into 165 Eaton Place, requiring the help of Rose, who’s now the proprietor of a domestic employment agency, with the hiring of servants. Their privileged lives are soon threatened by world affairs, including the abdication crisis of Edward VIII and the rise of fascism at home and abroad.

As the British series returns to the U.S. Sunday on PBS’ “Masterpiece,” only six years have passed since the day in 1930 when the last of the Bellamys and their servants vacated 165 Eaton Place, and yet Jean Marsh, who last starred as Rose 35 years ago, is still very much Rose.

“Thank you very much,” Marsh replied when told so in a PBS news conference this past January.

“But the problem was when we were talking about it, I said, ‘I’ll need some help. You know, because it’s 35 years, not six years.’

“And they said, ‘Oh, yes, everything will be easy and wonderful and you look good,’ and then it’s on HD, which is so ferocious. I wasn’t allowed to wear real makeup and the lighting was ferocious. And I looked and I thought, ‘Oh, they’ll all think that I’m 120.”

Having already seen the new series when I was in London in December, I can heartily recommend it and am confident you won’t be disappointed in this new production, airing in three parts on April 10, 17 and 24, 2011 at 9 p.m. A second series of Upstairs, Downstairs is in the works. Joy!

Of course, nothing can take the place of the original cast and the original series.

The original cast. (Poor Helen! Poor Captain James – the cad. And Ruby . . . no doubt still single. If only she’d put on a dab of lipstick . . . What’s Mrs. Bridges cooking/baking? Smells lovely. And that Sarah, oh! Cheeky girl. Up to no good, she is. Has Miss Elizabeth returned yet from the States? And Lady Prudence, no doubt still dropping round for glasses of sherry . . . . )

You may recall that I made my own pilgrimage to (1)65 Eaton Place in December, when I took this photo –

Really, the cab driver thought I was mad. We were on our way to Paddington Station and I asked to stop in Eaton Place first so that I could take a picture of a certain house. Usually unfappable, this particular cabby couldn’t hold his tongue as curiosity got the better of him. “What’s so special about that address, then?” he asked. And I told him as I took a last look at the Bellamy house, hoping for a fleeting glimpse of Richard Bellamy. Or Mr. Hudson. Or even Rose herself. I’m happy to tell you that now we can all catch glimpses of the original characters whenever we like, as a special 40th Anniversary edition of the original series is now available for $130.99 ($50 – $60 less than at other sites) at Amazon. Click on the picture below for details. The set includes a bonus 25 hours of commentaries, interviews and extras. I ordered my copy yesterday, along with a DVD of the spin-off series, Thomas and Sarah.