After spending a day at Monet's House and Gardens, my husband and I were up again bright and early, this time our destination was the Place of Versailles.
Marie Antoinette's life as the last queen of France has always fascinated me, with her over the top lavish lifestyle. So, I thought it only fitting that this little 4x4 mini acrylic canvas painting should have real gold leaf in the background!
Lavender was among one of Marie Antoinette's favourite colours, I have incorporated that into her eyes.
We were in awe at just how extravagant her lifestyle was, every turn in the palace was adorned with magnificent paintings, murals, tapestries, chandeliers, carvings, mouldings, marble, mirrors and of course gold and more gold!
We knew the palace and gardens were extensive, but we had no concept of just how vast they actually are until we had to walk them!
We took the 15 minute shuttle train to Marie Antoinette's Petit Trianon located within the palace grounds. This was Marie's house where she liked to go to in order to escape the court's etiquette and gaze.
Marie Antoinette commissioned the Hameau de la Reine, a rustic retreat near the Petit Trianon, with a working farm and dairy, cottages, watermill, tower, lakes and gardens. Seemly the queen and her ladies-in-waiting would dress up and pretended to be peasants! Is it no wonder the starving French people revolted?
We loved our time at the Palace of Versailles, I was continually asking myself as I roamed through the grounds and halls - 'would the king and queen have walked or stood here? or walked along these paths or corridors?' Whatever your thoughts on Marie Antoinette, can we agree she was indeed an intriguing character?!
What are some of your top historical destinations to visit?
Until Next time, Happy Creating!
Glad you could join me on this follow up blog post. In the previous post "Fatal Attraction" I said I would share with you what vice lures and tempts me in everyday life. Have you guessed it? If you are thinking cupcakes, you are close! Its is Sugar! Yes the sweet stuff that makes everything taste so good. Earlier in the year I was advised to completely cut this down from my diet. Well needless to say, when someone tells you that you can't have this or that, it is then you crave it all the more!! This mixed media painting reflects that.
The artwork is actually Wk23 catch up lesson for Life Book 2013 with the gorgeous Tamara Laporte from Willowing. I highly recommend any of her classes.The theme was honouring our feelings in a mixed media painting with a whimsical character. Tam suggests we connect with our feelings and not to ignore them. The connection for me was sugar, Marie Antoinette came to mind, holding a cupcake sitting on a chaise lounge with her dog by her side.
When I want to get my ideas down quickly, I grab any piece of paper. The sketch can be either rough like this, or more detailed.
Here are some of the materials that I used for this art piece.
I liked the face on the previous art post "Fatal Attraction",so I decided to include her in this mixed media piece. To give the background a little olde worlde feel, I used a damask stencil. I forgot to take photos of the next few steps, as I was working quickly gluing down the scrapbook papers and adding in the main base colours. I also started to add a bit of depth and detail to the chaise lounge and characters.
Close up of Marie Antoinette. I deliberately made her gaze go slightly past the cupcake because for me I know there is temptation all around me, but I now choose to focus on healthier foods.
Close up of pug.
Going back and forth adding more shading and highlighting. Final touches with a white posca paint pen for the lace. I am not a great fan of my own hand writing, so I printed the title out and used transfer paper to place it on the artwork. I went over this with a black posca paint pen. Voilà! Finished.
Hope you enjoyed this post. As always comments are welcome and encouraged, thanks.
Until next time, happy creating!
