Monthly Archives: October 2011
Caravaggio and Antique Baroque Art
Last weekend John and I finally took the day off and went to Fort Worth’s Kimbell Art Museum for an exciting exhibit of “Caravaggio and his followers in Rome”. We were eagerly looking forward to this exhilarating event. The exposition not only has ten incredible antique works of art by the Baroque master, but it also has a compelling and powerful collection of 40 paintings of his followers. Only as we compare them side to side can we can see the brilliance of his talent. Of course many of his followers went on to develop their own style such as Rubens and La Tour.
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Autumn, Antiques and Recipes
![Antique Accessories with pumpkins and scones_thumb[7]](http://www.inessa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Antique-Accessories-with-pumpkins-and-scones_thumb7-150x150.jpg "Antique Accessories with pumpkins and scones_thumb[7]")
All around our stores we have been decorating and getting ready for the changing of the season, using the vivid fruits of fall. If you have ever visited our stores, you know how much we love to create seasonal vignettes using our antique accessories, changing our displays to reflect the changes during the year. Now is the time for us to be inspired by the colors and scents of the harvest, as well as our new antique arrivals.
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Antique of the Week ~ Panetiere
“Bread is the staff of life”, quotes an old proverb. The panetiere, or breadbox, is considered a highly collectible French antique and represents a celebrated symbol of Country French tradition~ the making of bread. Bread has been one of Europe’s staples for centuries, and over the course of time the French elevated the daily task and ritual of bread-making to an art form.
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Know Your French Antiques ~ Part 4
In this installment of our series, we continue with nineteenth century France ~ a period that was pivotal in the history of antique French furniture. Within the first decade, Europe witnessed the fall of Napoleon whose very name struck fear in the hearts of English and European citizens and nobility. His aftermath led to a restoration of the established French monarchy, culminating in the reign of Louis Philippe. Political turmoil was averted when France ushered in its Second and final Empire, witnessing Bonaparte’s nephew, Napoleon III, taking his place in French history. All of this simultaneously occurred during the formative decades of an even more significant and far-reaching epoch ~ the so-called Second Industrial Revolution, which had a profound effect on the style and production of French antiques.
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Antique of the Week ~ Painting by Jacques Snoeck
Dutch antique paintings are among the most admired paintings in the world. During the 19th century, the fine arts enjoyed a vigorous revival in Netherlands, inspired by great 17th century Dutch artists.
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Design on Dragon ~ Antiques, Art and Fun
![Antique Accessories Fall Table Spread[11]](http://www.inessa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Antique-Accessories-Fall-Table-Spread11-150x150.jpg "Antique Accessories Fall Table Spread[11]")
What an enchanting evening it was! Design on Dragon, an annual event for antique showrooms, design showrooms and art galleries along Dallas’ storied Design District Mecca ~ Dragon Street ~ where the doors are open for a captivating night of antiques, art, food and wine, took place on October First. The street was closed to traffic for the night so guests could enjoy a leisurely stroll while partaking in culinary delights, wine, and visual feasts inside galleries and showrooms all down the street.
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Know Your French Antique Furniture ~ Part 3
The French Revolution brought forth a turbulent and volatile era in history and distinctly reshaped the French furniture industry. In this blog we will explore amazing styles of antique French furniture from the end of the 18th century the beginning of the 19th century, leading up to the Industrial Revolution. This era started with the transition from absolute monarchy to a totalitarian empire, then to a republic; evolving into three distinct systems of government: the first revolutionary government – The Republic (1789-1795), the second -The Directoire (1795-1799), and the third – The Consulate (1799-1804). In this early revolutionary era, new styles that originated were as pioneering as the political ideology. It is amazing to me that amongst this time of turmoil the French continued to be world leaders in the art of design.
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Decorating for Fall with Antique Accessories
Fall is the time of the year when the earth rewards us with splendid bounty, and nature springs forth with tapestry of color. It is also the season to entertain, so I love to decorate with rich colors of autumn for special gatherings of the season. To make my holiday table special I often use antique accessories to enkindle unique and memorable settings.
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Blog Giveaway Winner Announcement!
![French Impressions Prize_thumb[1]](http://www.inessa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/French-Impressions-Prize_thumb1-150x150.jpg "French Impressions Prize_thumb[1]")
We are proud to announce that Inessa Stewart’s Antiques & Interiors has a winner for our first blog giveaway! The winner will receive, French Impressions, the latest book from Betty Lou Phillips, the very successful author, interior designer and Francophile. Congratulations to Sue McCrain Walsh for winning this contest. Thank you to everyone for participating in the blog giveaway.
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Antique of the Week ~ Buffet
The era of Louis XIV left a heritage of magnificent antique furniture, and this amazing antique buffet is a perfect example of this exceptional splendor. The French ebeniste of this period created most lavish antique commodes and consoles, but those efforts were not enough, as the royal’s appetite for new furniture inventions demanded of a new kind of furniture.
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