.
NOT, thankfully, the floods which hit la Serenissima a couple of weeks ago - but these gorgeous dolls - Pantalone and Colombina from the Commedia del' Arte which I bought last year at Ca' Macana - one of the few studios in Venice still making their own masks and other items in papier mache.
Pantalone
These dolls are made entirely in paper sculpture. It seems that they are built on an armature - so there may be a foundation of wire beneath, but faces, hair, clothes....all paper, which looks as if it has been soaked in some sort of glue and then left to dry and stiffen. The painting afterwards - especially of the faces, is masterly - but it is the underlying structure of paper modelling which creates the initial character.
Colombina
I am longing to discover how to make these sorts of figures...I guess I could just work it out by trial and error - but if anyone knows of any web sites, books, or tutors, I'd love to hear about it.
And now I have the taste for Venice on my lips today - and am suffering severe withdrawal symptoms anyway, having not visited this year....here are just a couple more images to counteract any surfeit of Christmas-Tacky-Itis that may already be starting to overwhelm you...
I'll take these for Christmas presents, please...handmade journals, leather-bound
And this will do nicely for my Christmas dress
That dress reminds me of my wedding dress which I wore for Halloween, dressing up as Marie Antoinette to hand out candy. It's on my blog.Yummy journals!
Posted by: Melissa's Cozy Teacup | Saturday, December 13, 2008 at 22:01
What magnificient dolls, they are masterpieces. Can't help you with making them but one of my goals for 2009 is to learn to make my own handmade journels. If I'm successful I'll send you one, but it make take a few months though, LOL.
Posted by: Margaret | Sunday, December 14, 2008 at 01:31
Oh Roz, that Venetian ball gown takes my breath away! My first thought was "What a beautiful wedding gown that would make!" But then, I also LOVE the choker. And, oh my, who wouldn't want one of those journals for Christmas?
Posted by: LadyLauraKay | Sunday, December 14, 2008 at 12:53
The dolls are amazing! We saw an exhibit of costume through the ages at a museum in Venice this spring. All the costumes were made from paper. The manniquins were life-size and the clothes exquisite. I wonder how they're made, too. I hear you about yearning for Venice. I think once you've been there, you never are the same again.
Posted by: Ardi | Sunday, December 14, 2008 at 13:09
I can never have too much of Venice!!!!!
Posted by: BrittArnhild | Friday, December 19, 2008 at 13:20