Tania Vartan

One thing that I have noticed about suffering from information overload is that it really takes something unique and clever to catch my eye. That was certainly the case a few days ago when I first learned of the talented decorative painter Tania Vartan. I'm sure that for many of you, Tania is not a new name. I'm only just learning of her work, but, as they say, better late than never.

Tania started her career in the 1970s as a New York based fashion designer, later moving into the field of decorative painting in the 1980s. As a painter, Tania has executed stunning murals and trompe l'oeil paintings for the likes of Mark Hampton, Mario Buatta, and Lee Radziwill. In addition to mural work, Tania's other mediums include reverse glass painting, small oil paintings, and fabrics. Her fabric collection, available through John Rosselli in New York and George Spencer Designs in the UK, includes many prints that Tania first designed decades ago for her fashion collection. Now, though, they're available as furnishing fabric.

I've included a sampling of Tania's work below, but really, this is just the tip of the iceberg. I encourage you to visit her website to see more photos of her beautiful work. Tania recently wrote a book chronicling her work as a painter. Tania Vartan, A Memoir of the Decorative Arts 1970 to 2011 is available for purchase through her website as well.



A Robert Adam style ceiling in a private dining room.



Acrylic on canvas panels for a music room in a private house.



Rain Forest, a trompe l'oeil painting by Tania



Baroccoco, another trompe l'oeil painting




Radishes, gold leaf and oil on panel




Study in Brown and Green, oil on canvas



After Leon Bakst, reverse glass painting



Another reverse glass painting




A reverse glass painted mirror




A hand-painted pillow





Tania's fabric collection

All images from Tania Vartan's website.

Silhouette: The Art of the Shadow

Bear with me and my book reviews. You know that the Fall is like Christmas to those of us who love design books!

One of the more intriguing books to come out this season is Silhouette: The Art of the Shadowby art historian Emma Rutherford. I've long been drawn to these graphic visages, and I'm not alone. Think of Lulu Guinness whose logo includes a silhouette (in fact, Guinness wrote the forward to the book), or Diamond Baratta who introduced a great silhouette fabric a few years ago.

Rutherford traces the history of the silhouette all the way back to Etruscan vases that are considered to be the precursors to this graphic art form. The book explores the silhouette's popularity in 18th c. France and of course the Victorian age (those Victorians were awfully crazy for silhouettes...), and many 20th c. examples are included as well, most notably the provocative work of artist Kara Walker. Rutherford reminds the reader that silhouettes have long been created in many forms besides paper cutouts- paintings and carved and molded pieces were also favorite mediums for the silhouette.

After reading this book, I find that I now have far more of an appreciation for silhouettes; to me, they're no longer just a Victorian novelty. Is it fine art? Well, no, not really, but to dismiss silhouettes as mere decorative trifles would be quite a shame.

Roger Palmer, Lady Dorothy Bradshaigh (c. 1705–1785), life-size head, hollow-cut on blue paper, 9-3/5 inches high, Private Collection


A Jockey at Newmarket, Pringle (dated 1827), painted and bronzed on card, 3-1/2 inches high. Lidstone Collection.


The Hunt, Master Barber, aged 9 (fl. c. 1851), cut-out paper, 5 inches high, Ian Cross Collection.

(All images ©Silhouette: The Art of the Shadow by Emma Rutherford, Rizzoli New York, 2007)

George Barbier: The Birth of Art Deco

Are you familiar with George Barbier, shown above? I was vaguely aware of his name and knew that he was an illustrator during the Art Deco period. But beyond that...nothing else. Evidently, I'm not alone.

Barbier was one of the leading figures of the Art Deco era, enjoying fame and notoriety with fellow artists Léon Bakst, Erté, and Aubrey Beardsley. Much of Barbier's work centered around fashion illustration (including very stylish works for Cartier), although book and magazine illustrations and theater designs (set and costume) rounded out his oeuvre. His illustrations were so very evocative of the Deco era; they were lavish, stylized, and at times erotic. They captured the modernity and frivolity of that time.

Unfortunately, Barbier's name has been obscured with time. Bakst and Erté's stars continued to shine bright through the years, while Barbier was relegated to the annals of time. And amazingly enough, no exhibitions of his work had been staged since 1932 until this year when the Fortuny Museum in Venice held a retrospective of Barbier's work. An accompanying book was recently published entitled George Barbier: The Birth of Art Deco, edited by curator Barbara Martorelli (distributed in the U.S. by Rizzoli New York).  The book is a fascinating study of the man who helped define the Deco aesthetic.  There are numerous color plates of Barbier's work, and I think you'll be charmed by them.  (I know that I was, especially by his theater designs.)  The text is informative and concise, but the book really is all about Barbier's illustrations.

If you have an interest in illustration, in fashion, or in the Deco period, I highly recommend this well researched book.  After reading it, I think you might agree that it's high time more people are familiar with George Barbier.

(Those of you in New York might be interested in an upcoming lecture by the author on November 17 at the Art Deco Society.  Sponsored by the American Association of University Women, the event will take place from 6-8pm, $20 for ADSNY members and $25 for guests & non-members.  For more information, please call 212-679-3326)

Mademoiselle Spinelly chez elle, 1921 from Le Bonheur du Jour ou les Grâces à la Mode, 1924

Mademoiselle Sorel en grand habit, 1921 from Le Bonheur du Jour ou les Grâces à la Mode, 1924

Costume Study, Chinese Dancer, c. 1920

La Fontaine de coquillages, from Gazette du Bon Ton, March 1914

Falbalas et Fanfreluches, almanach des Modes présentes, passées et futures, 1924

The Romance of Perfume, 1928; a promotional book for Richard Hudnut and Richard le Gallienne.

(All images copyrighted George Barbier: The Birth of Art Deco edited by Barbara Martorelli, Marsilio, 2009)

I Want Everything In This Room!

I can't stop looking at this photo of antiques dealer Louis Bofferding's (former?) Manhattan living room that was featured in the 1996 book The Table. One reason of course is because the room is just so good looking- clean, uncluttered, airy, masculine, restrained, and immensely chic. What I also like about it is that there isn't a shred of mediocrity in this room. Each piece is magnificent on its own, but when mixed with other important pieces? Decorative Arts Heaven! Would you expect anything less from such an admired dealer?

When you start to dissect the room and study each piece, it's hard not to be impressed by the provenances. A 1950s Jansen table with blue steel legs. Fornasetti faux malachite plates. An iron elephant mounted on a red silk pedestal from Geoffrey Bennison (on table). A Louis XVI armchair with antique Chanel purple silk velvet. And barely visible in the far left hand corner, an iconic "Bird Table" by Meret Oppenheim, c. 1939. Yep, I swooned too. But rather than seeming ostentatious or even "full of it", the room- gold chip furniture and all- comes across as personal and well-thought out. It is truly the room of an erudite man who really knows his stuff!



This Royal Dining Table by Maison Jansen looks similar to that of Bofferding except for the legs which are black steel rather than blue. (Available at Todd Merrill Antiques)

Gold leafed Bird Table by Meret Oppenheim, available at Eccola. The listing on 1st dibs says this specific table is 21st century, so obviously this table is a much later version than that of Bofferding.

Bofferding's table was set with these Fornasetti plates. Also, you can get a better look at the Bennison piece.

A pair of Fornasetti gold and malachite plates, available at Gallery 25.

The pineapple on Bofferding's console appears to be tole. This pair of lamps from John Salibello Antiques have a similar look.

(Images of Bofferding's apartment from The Table, Diane von Furstenberg)

Whatever Happened to the Decorative Arts Collector?

For years now, we've read about internet entrepreneurs, young Wall Street tycoons, and the like who have set out to become serious art collectors, and the high prices that this art (usually Contemporary) commands just proves what a hot market it is. But what about decorative arts collectors? How many young or middle-aged people do you know who collect porcelain, silver, or antique furniture? I'm not really talking about someone who dabbles in a few objects here and there. I mean those people who have a serious and abiding passion for a particular field of collecting.

I think this is one reason why I so admire the late Philip Shutze, the dean of Atlanta architecture. Shutze's architecture, rooted in the Beaux Arts tradition, has an elegance that is both classic and erudite. But did you know that he was also a passionate collector of 18th and 19th century decorative arts? Shutze had a marvelous collection that ranged from Meissen porcelain to Chinese Export. In fact, he purchased many of his pieces from Northeast dealers who also supplied Henry Francis du Pont with much of his collection.

What struck me was not just the breadth of his collection, but the way in which he displayed it. Living in a small apartment on Peachtree St. in Atlanta, Shutze's home was chock full of antiques, objects and books. The man actually lived with and used these precious objects. One look at the photographs and you can tell that this was someone who was a passionate and curious collector. It's evident that an interesting person lived there- someone you might like to know.

Shutze once wrote "It may well be that another generation will see collecting, as we have known it, by the individual come to a grinding halt." Shutze believed this might be due to economic reasons, but I believe it also has to do with the fact that collecting decorative arts is just not sexy. But Shutze did go on to say that "it is the duty of the present generation to preserve what we have of value for the level of taste has sunk to an unprecedented state and our production is blue denim and ersatz." To think that this was written in 1973-74! Now, I'm not going give up my dark blue denim nor some of the pastiche that I have in my home, but Mr. Shutze has inspired me to become a serious collector too. But before I pull my money from under my mattress, I think I'll do my homework first!


A view of Shutze's Dining Room.


The other end of his Dining Room with his "Mandarin" and "Fitzhugh" Chinese Export porcelain displayed on a sideboard.


The living room with a Shutze "tablescape".


Shutze's kitchen and his collection of blue and white Chinese Export which he used on a daily basis.

Image at top: Philip Shutze

Spatter Pattern

And no, it's not the spatter pattern that is discussed so frequently in episodes of "CSI". It's "Spatter", and it's one of my favorite Hinson prints. Designed by Harry Hinson in 1974, the print was inspired by the spatter motif found often in Colonial ceramicware (this according to a 2001 New York Times article). The article also mentioned that it's a print that counts Albert Hadley and Jeffrey Bilhuber amongst its fans. I've also read that Billy Baldwin used it in his Nantucket home, but I can't find a photo.

So, just where can you use a print like "Spatter"? Well, Harry Hinson used it in his East Hampton home (shown above), and I was thrilled to see it in another Hamptons house designed by Tom Scheerer (and featured in the August '08 issue of House Beautiful). But I do think you can use it in a city home too. How about in a powder room? Or a kitchen? Just think of "Spatter" as a modern take on early Americana.

And speaking of Americana, I was curious about Hinson's supposed inspiration for this print. Just what was spatter and how was it used during Colonial times? Well, one of the prime examples is spatterware. According to a ceramic curator at Winterthur, spatterware was originally manufactured in England where it was known as spongeware. As spongeware was not particularly popular in England, most of it was shipped to the American colonies where it became known as spatterware. And it was here in America where spatterware became extremely popular, especially amongst the Pennsylvania Germans. Sponge and spatter painting was also used on furniture, walls, and floors during this era.

So although I can't corroborate whether Hinson was actually inspired by spatterware or not, it's something to ponder. If you would like to learn more about spatterware, you should visit Winterthur. Henry Francis du Pont was a major collector of it, and there is a magnificent display of his collection in Spatterware Hall at Winterthur. Or you can read more about his collection here in an interview with du Pont's daughter, the lucky recipient of some of her father's collection.


(Many thanks to everyone at Winterthur for assisting me in my research of spatterware.)



Two images of Scheerer's fabulous wallpaper selection for an East Hampton cottage (image from House Beautiful, Aug 08; Simon Upton photographer).


A Spatterware platter, c. 1825-1855, Staffordshire England. Does this not look modern to you? Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont; image courtesy of Winterthur.


Spatterware pitcher, c. 1825-1855, Staffordshire England. Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont. Image courtesy of Winterthur.


Four examples of Spatterware jugs, c. 1825-1855, Staffordshire England. Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont. Photo courtesy of Winterthur.

Image at top: "Spatter" in blue and white on the walls and curtains of Harry Hinson's East Hampton dining room.

The Glory of Shells

I have loved shells for as long as I can remember. During my childhood summer beach trips, I remember religiously checking the tide report in the newspaper so that I could plan my daily shell hunting (sounds a little nerdy, no?).

If you're like me, then you must check out the beautiful new book The Shell: A World of Decoration and Ornament by Ingrid Thomas. This highly informative book covers the history of shells and the shell motif in art and decorative art through the ages. Chapters include shells in jewelry, art, architecture, furniture, and porcelain, to name a few.

What I find most fascinating are the objects that were created using actual shells. Some of the most amazing images (at least to me) are the rooms and grottos that are decorated entirely in shells! Can you imagine the time and labor that went into these rooms? The craftsmanship in all of the objects featured in the book are just remarkable. Of course, after reading the book I have all types of fanciful ideas about what to do with my collection of shells. But in reality? Perhaps I should stick to something simple like a small mirror!


Shell Gallery at Rosendael Castle, Netherlands, c. 1730.


"The Sharpham Shellwork", c. 1770. Created by Jane Pownoll with shells collected in the West Indies by her privateer husband, the work is a replica of Sharpham House.


A carved mother-of-pearl and tortoise shell jewelry casket, 19th c. English.


Shell obelisks by Tess Morley, 1999


Pair of Olympic torches created by Peter Coke, 2001


Arcimboldesque Shell-Head Fountain in the garden of Petit Chateau, Parc de Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, France.