Anthology issue 5 winter 2017

WINTER 2017 #05 €3.50€3.50 £2.55£2.55 WINTER 2017 #05

FASHION FASHION

Council of Ireland Council of Ireland Fashion Designers • Fashion Designers • YSL YSL Museum, ParisParis Museum,

HERITAGE HERITAGE

Historical landmarks • Historical landmarks • Belleek Castle • Belleek Castle • Waterford Castle Waterford Castle

ARTS ARTS

Van Van EyckEyck and the and the Pre-Raphaelites • Pre-Raphaelites • Showcasing IrishIrish Artists Showcasing Artists

LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE

WhyWhy Music is Good Music is Good for the • A Winter forBrain the Brain • A Winter Home Makeover Home Makeover

Winter 2017 Issue 05

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Welcome to Anthology Winter issue

T

he coming months, when awards season moves into full gear, is a great time for inspiration in fashion trends, style tips, hair ideas and all the elements that go into the preparation of our own special events. Award ceremonies have become increasingly popular, not just in the world of film but across all industries.

The Irish Magazine Awards recently announced their nominees, and I am delighted to share the good news that Anthology has received two nominations. Our very talented Art Editor, Ros Woodham, is nominated for Designer of the Year, and our recent cover featuring the stunning artwork of Iwona Lifsches is nominated for Cover of the Year.

This is a great endorsement of our vision, and an acknowledgement of the hard work by all the team at Anthology over the last year.

In this issue, we visit the Department of Musical Instruments at New York’s Metropolitan Museum which, following extensive renovation, has reopened the first of four musical instru-

ANTHOLOGY PUBLISHING Limerick, Ireland EDITOR Edel Cassidy ART EDITOR Ros Woodham DESIGNER Lynne Clarke COPY-EDITOR Averill Buchanan CONTRIBUTORS Orna O’Reilly Weber, Jeannie Croucher, Róisín Cassidy, Louise Higgins, Dolores O’Donoghue ADVERTISING Gail Fean, Mary Hayes advertising@anthology-magazine.com Printed by Warners Midland plc Distributed by EMNews

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ments galleries. It explores the use of brass instruments across time and place. Meanwhile, artist and illustrator Ophelia Redpath talks to us about how her love of music and listening to music inspires her creative process.

We also showcase a selection of work from some of Ireland’s contemporary artists who introduce us to their varying styles, techniques and themes. And we feature the exquisite Winter 2017 collections from the talented members of the Council of Ireland Fashion Designers.

Finally, we take a sneak peek at the Yves Saint Laurent museum that has recently opened in Paris, which features the eponymous couturier’s most iconic looks in the legendary premises where he designed his collections.

With previews and reviews of the latest lifestyle and cultural events and trends, this issue is the perfect companion to curl up with and enjoy on a winter’s evening.

Edel edel@anthology-magazine.com

ON THE COVER Contemporary artist Ophelia Redpath’s works express an offbeat view of humanity in circumstances of all kinds.

Her paintings are known for their connection with literature and music, and for their undercurrents of humour, often mischievous and surreal (p. 44).

SUBMISSIONS ANTHOLOGY welcomes submissions – ideas, musings or long-form narrative – and is keen to publish serious reportage. All we ask is that the pieces are previously unpublished. Pitches to: info@anthology-magazine.com PHOTOGRAPHY From styled fashion shoots and portraiture to architecture, high-quality photography is what ANTHOLOGY aims to bring to every issue. We are happy to view work. Link or PDF to: info@anthology-magazine.com SUBSCRIPTIONS ANTHOLOGY is a quarterly publication with a focus on beautiful features and imagery from Ireland and around the world. Subscribe to avail of delivery directly to your door. Email: info@anthology-magazine.com ISSN: 2009-9150

The publisher accepts no responsibility for any of the views expressed or claims made by contributors or advertisers. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy of information contained in Anthology, we do not accept responsibility for any errors or matters arising from same. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced without written permission from the publishers.

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EXHIBITION Musical Instruments at The Met HEALTH Why Music is Good for the Brain ART Featured Irish Artists INTERIORS A Winter Home Makeover PORTRAIT Ophelia Redpath: Artist ART Van Eyck and the Pre-Raphaelites FEATURED HOTEL Ireland: Sheen Falls Lodge FEATURED HOTEL International: Lešić Dimitri Palace

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FASHION Irish Designers Collective FASHION Take Cover with a Classic Coat FASHION Haute Couture Winter Collection EXHIBITION Yves Saint Laurent Museum, Paris

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BEAUTY The Power of Perfume HERITAGE The History of Waterford Castle HERITAGE Belleek Castle Medieval Museum TRAVEL The Cone-roofed Trulli of Puglia

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Fanfare Musical Instruments Galleries Reopen at The Met words edel cassidy

N

ew York’s Metropolitan Museum’s encyclopedic view of art is nowhere better illustrated than in its 130-yearold collection of musical instruments. The collection, which is among the world’s largest, illustrates the development of musical instruments from all cultures and eras, and includes approximately 5,000 examples from across six continents dating from about 300 BC to the present. Selected for their technical and social importance as well as their tonal and visual beauty, the instruments may be understood in a number of ways: as art objects, as an ethnographic record and as documents of the history of music and performance.

The Department of Musical Instruments closed its galleries in 2016 for a year-long renovation and reinterpretation project. Fanfare is the signature display in the first of the four musical instruments galleries to be reopened.

It invites visitors to explore the artistry, diverse forms and interwoven uses of brass instruments throughout time and place, and features instruments spanning two millennia and five continents.

The layout and interpretation of Fanfare is a departure from traditional displays of musical instruments. A freestanding structural glass showcase specially constructed for the display, and an innovative mounting system allow every detail of each instrument to be seen from all sides. This visual aesthetic was designed to resonate with the light-filled space of the gallery by exuding luminosity, transparency and a sense of playfulness.

Through the theme of The Art of Music, the renovated galleries will explore the artistry of instrument-making and music across 5,000 years of history and around the globe in the context of The Met’s unparalleled collection. The next phase of the musical instruments galleries’ renovation will open in spring 2018.

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arts

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culture

Bass Saxtuba in E-flat Maker: Adolphe (Antoine Joseph) Sax (Belgian, Dinant, Belgium 1814–1894 Paris) Date: 1855 Culture: French Saxtubas were built as a family, with instruments ranging from B-flat sopranino to B-flat contrabass. This bass in E-flat was the second largest size. The striking appearance of the larger sax tubas was inspired by the Roman cornu as depicted on Trajan’s Column. Saxtubas were first used in 1852 in the premiere performance of Halevy’s opera Le juif errant in the Paris Academie Nationale de Musique, where they featured in a 15-piece stage ensemble. They also appeared in a military and national ceremony in Paris on the Champ de Mars later in 1852. This instrument and a B-flat tenor held in the Trompetenmuseum in Bad Saeckingen, Germany, are the only saxtubas known to survive.

The Musical Instruments department’s curator, who oversaw the renovation, sounds the charonia tritonis, or conch, that serves as the centre of the Fanfare display.

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Soprano Ophicleide in B-flat Maker: Adolphe (Antoine Joseph) Sax (Belgian, Dinant, Belgium 1814–1894 Paris) Date: mid-19th century Culture: French The ophicleide is a low brass instrument that was used in bands and orchestras during the nineteenth century. It was replaced by the tuba.

In seeking to create a loud, low woodwind instrument, Adolphe Sax experimented with placing a bass clarinet mouthpiece on an ophicleide. This idea spawned the first saxophone.

Bass Saxhorn in B-flat Maker: Adolphe (Antoine Joseph) Sax (Belgian, Dinant, Belgium 1814–1894 Paris) Date: 1863 Culture: French This instrument features several innovations by Sax, including his six independent valve system and a pavillon tournant, or movable bell, that can be adjusted by the player to direct the sound of the instrument. Sax’s system of six independent valves was devised to correct the intonation problems of typical three-valve instruments, which can sound out of tune when the valves are used in combination. Sax made a wide range of instruments with this system, including saxhorns, trombones, trumpets, cornets and horns. Saxhorns like this were featured in the Banda, or stage band, of the Paris Opéra that Sax formed and directed from 1847 to 1892.

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arts

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culture

Ceramic Horn Date: late 18th or early 19th century Culture: French

Natural Trumpet in D

This hunting horn of glazed earthenware was intended for decorative display and bears an unidentified coat of arms.

Maker: Andreas Naeplaesnigg (Germany, active Jettingen ca. 1790) Date: 1790 Culture: German Following the Nuremberg tradition of trumpet-making, this instrument has a structural set-up and decoration of cast brass putti of angels, embossed and engraved ferrules and garlands, glass stones, etc. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, Nuremberg lost its former significance, and trumpet-making shifted to other places. Originally pitched in C, the tube was shortened to a higher pitch in the nineteenth century.

Cornet a Pistons in B-flat Maker: Auguste Raoux (French, Paris 1795–1871) Date: 1845–50 France Culture: French This is a variant of the cornet a pistons, called Neocor. It features an upward pointing bell that is movably attached to the first valve.

It comes with two shanks, five terminal crooks and a narrow shank for the crooks, permitting the instrument to be converted into the pitches Bb, A, Ab, G, F, E, and Eb. The cornet has three Stoelzel valves, which deepen the pitch by l, 1/2. and 1-1/2 steps respectively.

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Bass Fluegel Horn in B-flat Maker: Ferdinando Roth (Italian, Adorf 1815–1898 Milan) Date: ca. 1855 Culture: Italian Figure-eight form tenors came into use in the 1840s in Austria and southern Germany. As Lombardy was part of Austria until 1857, Austrian models were also built in northern Italy.

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Flügelhorn with Cornet in C Maker: Attributed to Giuseppe Pelitti (Italian, Varese 1811–1865 Milan) Date: ca. 1890 Culture: Italian The instrument known today as the flugelhorn is a descendant of the valved bugle, which had been developed from a valveless hunting horn known in eighteenth-century Germany as a ‘Flügelhorn’. The valved bugle provided Adolphe Sax (creator of the saxophone family) with the inspiration for his B-flat soprano (contralto) saxhorns, on which the modern-day flugelhorn is modelled.

Baritone Shoulder Horn in B-flat Maker: Henry G. Lehnert (German, Freiberg 1838–1916 Philadelphia) Date: after 1875 Culture: American

This is a centennial model Bb baritone horn made by Henry G. Lehnert in 1875, to commemorate the centennial of the United States of America. It utilises rotary valves and is designed to rest on the shoulders of the player. There was an entire family of centennial horns made.

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Bugle in C Maker: Thomas Key (British, active London before 1805–1858) Maker: William Trayls (silversmith) Date: 1811 Culture: British Engravings on the bell indicate that the bugle was made in the year 1811 (represented by the letter Q) by the silversmith William Trayls (initials WT). Other marks represent the sterling standard (lion passant), the London Assay Office (leopard head), and the excise duty mark (sovereign’s head).

Also engraved on the bell is the name Major Drummond of the 104th Regiment, who presumably was the first owner of the instrument.

A freestanding structural glass showcase, with an innovative mounting system specially constructed for the display, allows every detail of each instrument to be seen from all sides.

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DESIGNER FURNITURE & HOME DÉCOR

.DESIGN

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Hitting the right note

health

Why music is good for the brain

words dolores o ’ donoghue i l lu s t r at i o n o p helia redpath

B

ence and brain imaging have enabled

For further evidence of how music

researchers to prove the positive benefits

affects the brain, it makes sense to look

to listening to music, and to quantitatively

at the brains of people who play a lot of

rain training is a growing industry,

measure how music affects the brain.

music – professional musicians. Brain

with an abundance of clinics and

Music is structural, mathematical

scans have revealed that their brains are

and architectural. It is based on rhythm,

noticeably more symmetrical, and that the

centration and IQ levels, games to fend

patterns and the relationship between

areas of their brains responsible for motor

off dementia, supplements to fuel the

one note and the next. While we listen

control, auditory processing and spatial

brain and exercises to increase cognitive

to music there is much more going on

coordination are larger than average. They

function. People have a variety of reasons

than simple auditory processing. Multiple

also have a more developed corpus callo-

for wanting to boost their brain pow-

areas of the brain become engaged and

sum, a band of nerve fibres that enables

er – to stay sharp, improve focus, boost

active, and the mind needs to do a lot

communication between the left and right

productivity, and increase earning power.

of computing to process the sound and

cerebral hemispheres.

In recent times, there has been an ex-

understand the various elements such as

courses on offer to improve con-

When these studies were initially carried out, it had not been determined

plosion of interest in brain training, from

‘Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.’ – Plato

if these differences were caused by the

improve the ability to reason and think

melody and rhythm. Whether listening to

important that parents don’t enrol their

abstractly. However, if you feel the need

classical, rock, rap or reggae, music acti-

children for music lessons simply in the

to perk up your focus and intellectual

vates the motor, auditory and limbic brain

hope that they will get better academic

performance there is another option.

regions. The motor areas process rhythm,

grades. The primary reason to give a

the auditory areas process sound, while

child a musical education is to help them

a form of medicine for the mind; indeed,

the limbic regions activate motivation,

appreciate music, become more musical

it’s believed that music can change brain

emotion, learning and memory.

and to respect the process of learning an

parents investing in programmes to help their children perform better at school to companies allocating budget resources and employee time to try to make their employees smarter, sharper and brighter.

Yet, not everyone is convinced that these brain training tools and techniques work. The consensus is that while they may help our memory capacity, they

structure and function for the better. We

anatomical differences had influenced these people to become musicians.

Further studies revealed that children who did fourteen months of musical training displayed positive structural and functional brain changes when compared to those who were not given the training.

In light of these new findings, it is

won’t necessarily increase intelligence or

It has long been known that music is

study and practice of music, or if certain

And if listening to music stimulates

instrument or to sing.

Knowing that music affects the brain in

are all aware that listening to music or,

the brain, playing a musical instrument

better still, playing a musical instrument

is the brain’s equivalent of a total body

many positive ways does not mean that

can change a person’s mood, increase

workout as it engages practically every

the advantages of listening to or playing

motivation and help with concentration.

area of the brain at once. On the outside

music are limited to improving cogni-

musicians may appear to be calm and

tive function. As a language known to

in many positive ways by reducing anxiety

focused while reading music and simulta-

all, it is beneficial for communication,

levels, for example, and helping with

neously making the precise movements

social bonding, health, happiness and

depression, pain and high blood pressure.

required to produce a melody. At the

our general outlook on life. It allows the

It can also improve memory, increase

same time they are processing various

expression of emotions, can be simulta-

cognitive function and ward off the effects

pieces of information in intricate, inter-

neously soothing and uplifting, and can

of brain ageing. Advances in neurosci-

related and astonishingly fast sequences.

inspire tears and laughter.

Listening to music can affect the brain

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Martina Furlong W

exford artist Martina Furlong graduated from Limerick School of Art and Design in 1996 with an honours degree in fine art painting.

Martina paints colourful, textured landscapes and abstract scenes in oils and acrylics. Her work is inspired by the things she encounters every day, from the Irish countryside to books, songs, people and buildings. She records anything of interest in her sketchbook to use as material for future paintings.

She mixes reality with memory and imagination, and paints her own interpretation of it. She does this by exaggerating colour and applying layer upon layer of paint using various tools, then working back into the surface of the painting to create heavily textured scenes.

In 2017 Martina exhibited in London and throughout Ireland, participating in the House Event and Art Source at the RDS for the first time.

This year Martina also introduced her range of greeting cards and hand-painted jewellery. These are available to purchase on her website, alongside her original paintings and limited-edition prints.

Martina’s work can be viewed at her studio/gallery space at The Paintbox. Visitors are welcome to make an appointment at a time to suit themselves, with no obligation. Please see Martina’s website for upcoming open days/events.

The Paintbox, Oulart Lower, Gorey, Co. Wexford T: +353 (0) 874642440 www.martinafurlong.com Facebook: Martina Furlong - Artist 22 winter 2017 antho lo g y

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artists

John Nolan A

second-generation artist, John Nolan was exposed to art from an early age by his father. John lives and works in Dublin, and over the past thirty-five years he has established himself as an international artist whose work is characterised by his use of vibrant colour.

He explores colour through his stylised, contemporary and abstract styles, his paintings transmitting a positive, upbeat feeling. He moves from one style to another, keeping his work fresh, and allows one painting to mature in his mind while working on another in a different style. His mantra is ‘Paint what you feel, not what you see’.

In 2008 John started a series of stylised paintings under the title ‘Paying Homage’. This series is a work in progress, and pays homage to the great masters.

He has worked with fellow artists, poets, musicians and designers on various pieces of work. Recent commissions include work with a fashion designer based in Canada who reproduces John’s motifs on fabrics, and artwork for an international cruise company which launched two new ships on the Danube in June 2016.

In addition to painting, John teaches adult painting classes and participates in special projects at several elementary schools in Dublin. For John, art is a visual language, an important means of communication.

For more information on original works, prints and greeting cards visit www.nolanart.com T: 086-8118063 E: john@nolanart.com

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Manus Walsh

‘I

t’s hard to believe that it’s now over forty years since I moved to Ballyvaughan in the heart of the Burren, the landscape that has had such a major influence on my work,’ reflects Manus. He arrived in Ballyvaughan from Dublin in 1976 with his wife Claire and their young children. They set up a craft workshop, gallery and, later, a restaurant in the centre of the village.

Having started his career at the Abbey Stained Glass studios in Dublin, Manus met and was encouraged by the painter George Campbell RHA, and had his first exhibition of paintings in Dublin in 1967. Since then he has had more than forty exhibitions, including shows in Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Cork, Sligo and Ennis, and outside Ireland in Chile, Spain, Germany and France. Manus also regularly exhibits in group shows in Ireland and abroad.

The Burren, with its unique landscape, has been the main influence on his work. But his travels abroad, especially in Spain and Chile, have also been a constant inspiration, and this can be seen throughout his work.

Examples of Manus’s work in stained glass can be seen in Galway Cathedral and, more recently, the Michael Greene memorial window and the large triptych window ‘Laudato si’. On care for our common home’, based on Pope Francis’s encyclical on the environment, both in St John’s Church, Ballyvaughan.

Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare T: (+353) 065 707 7270 E: walshmanus@hotmail.com www.manuswalsh.com 24 winter 2017 antho lo g y

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artists

Gillian Hennessy G

illian Hennessy is an Irish landscape artist who works from her studio in Kill, Co. Kildare.

She has always been fascinated by Ireland’s four-seasons-in-one-day weather and the way this affects the landscape.

She has studied at the National College of Art & Design and under the watchful eyes of famous Irish contemporary artists at the National Gallery, from whom she learned the basics of a stripped-back drawing technique, and how to make the best use of negative and positive spaces.

Participating in the House Interior Design Show 2016 at the RDS proved to be a great success, bringing Gillian to the attention of new clients. She also developed relationships with Irish interior designers to work on room colour trends, which gave her a new perspective on her own work.

Gillian’s solo show Into The Light ran in January 2017 at Straffan Antiques & Design Centre, offering over 80 pieces of work for sale.

The work in this show focused on Irish seascapes and landscapes in their ever-changing forms.

Gillian is currently studying with Irish contemporary artists as part of the Burgage Art Group in Blessington. Their group show is at Inniscara Art Gallery & Bespoke Framing from November. She is also preparing for her next solo show 2018.

T: 087 9728 334 E: gillianhen@gmail.com www.hennessyart.ie

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Henry McGrane I nspired by nature, Henry McGrane captures the peace and tranquillity of the rich landscapes of his homeland in Co. Meath. His work can be intensely personal yet versatile, as can be seen in his large paintings of the human figure and more recent still-life studies.

Henry took an unusual route into the world of fine art. Having studied at Dún Laoghaire College of Art and Design, he worked with O’Sullivan Bluth Animation in Dublin, and later moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he worked for 20th Century Fox Studios. He furthered his studies under the renowned artist Joshua Fallik, and developed his portraiture skills under the famous American painter Diane Leonard.

Since his return to Ireland, his work is much sought after, and can be seen at SolArt, Dawson St, Dublin, and The Chimera Gallery, Mullingar.

Private commissions welcome.

T: 00353(0)872808130 E: henrymcgraneart@gmail.com www.henrymcgrane.net

Jane Meyler A

self-taught landscape artist working primarily in oil and pastel, Jane, a native of Dublin, now lives and works in the family cottage overlooking Rosslare Bay where she spent her childhood summers.

Music is Jane’s other passion, and she often plays the mandolin or piano before she puts brush to paint, encouraging the flow of energy to impart rhythm and soul into her canvas.

She has a passion for outdoor painting and travels all over the country capturing the essence and mood of her surroundings. She regularly takes part in Europe’s largest plein air festival, Art in the Open. She was awarded bronze and the People’s Choice Award for her pastel paintings at Art in the Open in 2012 and 2014.

Jane exhibits at ArtSource, RDS, Dublin, and Love Your Home, Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast. She is a full member of the Pastel Society of Ireland.

Visits to her studio in Rosslare are welcome by appointment.

T: +353 086 1647255 E: info@janemeyler.com www.janemeyler.com

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artists

Elizabeth Prendergast E lizabeth Prendergast has been producing botanical art for over twenty years. Her detailed studies of fresh flowers, painted from live cuttings, are exquisite and unique works of art. The medium varies from pencil to watercolour and gouache, using the highest quality materials available and depending on the plant represented.

The subject of her art is always studies of fresh flowers and foliage. This freshness and authenticity is a vital ingredient of each piece.

Elizabeth paints seasonal flowers, and is happy to receive commissions for special occasions and special people. Why not commission a portrait of a favourite flower as a wedding gift, or for an anniversary or birthday?

Elizabeth’s work is exhibited and available for purchase on the east side of the Merrion Square Open Art Exhibition in Dublin 2 every Sunday (weather permitting). For more information, or to enquire about commissioning a piece of work, please visit www.elizabethprendergast.com

Susan Cairns ‘Taking the old, broken, unwanted and often forgotten everyday objects, my ambition through painting is to capture character and beauty, transforming the usual into something unique and wonderful.’

S

usan Cairns lives and works in Malahide, Co. Dublin, where she grew up. She started painting in watercolour but has changed to oils, specialising in still life. Exploring light, colour, texture and tone is an essential part of her painting. She likes the simple things to stand out and the not-so-pretty, everyday objects to shine.

Susan holds an NCVA Certificate in Art and Design, and a Diploma in Interior Architecture and Design. She has exhibited in Dublin and Cork, and many of her works are in private collections as far afield as England, Germany, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Canada and Australia.

Her first solo exhibition, which was a tremendous success, was in the Warren Gallery, Castletownshend, West Cork.

T: +353 85 113 4198 E: info@susancairns.com www.susancairns.com

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Lorraine Fenlon Irish lighthouses, Dublin seascapes and gold leaf are the order of the day for Lorraine’s 2017 selection

L

orraine Fenlon, a Carlow-based artist, is originally from Dublin’s Northside of Clontarf, and her recent work captures images from her childhood.

The coastline of Dublin and Clontarf has always been in her heart. Her home was opposite the Bull Wall and it was a short trek down over the wooden bridge to the sand dunes and the waves. She holds many lovely memories of days at the beach.

Lighthouses fascinate her as they have wonderful stories behind them. So it is not surprising that she produces large paintings of the lighthouses and views of the Dublin coastline. She depicts them up close and large scale, to reveal how beautiful and powerful these structures are. Her lighthouses are architecturally correct, but are portrayed in a painterly way with an overdose of luscious oils.

Another recent theme of Lorraine’s work is gold leaf. She paints iconic landmarks and buildings by stripping back the surroundings and focusing on the images like old photograph negatives. She uses the very best materials of 24-carat gold leaf on Fabriano paper. These pieces are proving very popular and of course, there are lighthouses in the series. Why not commission your favourite image to treat yourself or a friend?

Lorraine’s work can be seen in various galleries, art festivals, the RDS, on her website, or by appointment at her home studio.

T: +353 87 676 9051 E: lolofenlon@eircom.net www.lorrainefenlon.com

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artists

Jean Lowndes

A

rtist Jean Lowndes took up painting as a hobby in 1996 after a serious fall and several subsequent surgeries on her back. She found it to be very therapeutic and has been painting full-time ever since.

Having grown up on a farm in North County Dublin, Jean is inspired by nature and has a love affair with trees. She also enjoys painting seascapes, in which her little boats are a constant. Working in oils with a palette knife, Jean’s impasto technique is perfect to capture the mood and atmosphere of her scenes.

Jean’s work recently appeared on TV 3’s Showhouse, where her painting ‘Winter’s Soft Whisper’ served as the inspiration behind the featured house’s total re-design. She was delighted that her work had been chosen, and greatly enjoyed working with Anne Marie Hamill, of Hamilton Interiors, on this project.

Jean’s work is popular with collectors and art lovers, and she regularly exhibits in The Peoples Art Exhibition in Stephen’s Green, Merrion Square Open Air Art Gallery, Art Source at the RDS, and at Dross Evolution Art Gallery in Naas.

One of the most rewarding aspects of her life as an artist is meeting new people, and she takes great pride in the fact that her art has touched many people on an emotional level.

photo: Cormac O’Connell

T: 086 8154805 E: lowndes4_j@hotmail.com www.jeanlowndesart.ie

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Lar Joyce

L

ar Joyce is a self-taught artist based in Wexford, and has been drawing and painting professionally for five years.

Working mainly in charcoal or oil paints, he likes to produce work with its own individual character, so that each new piece is unique.

Growing up in the countryside, he was inspired from an early age by nature and animals. These are still his favourite subjects.

He specialises as an equine artist, capturing the perfect form and majesty of horses, but his repertoire also includes many other animals, especially highland cattle, cows and bison.

Lar also accepts commissions for portraits and he has an exceptional ability to capture both the visual likeness and the spirit of his subjects.

He exhibits regularly in solo shows and in group exhibitions, including the Wexford Opera Festival and Art Source at the RDS. His artwork – originals and prints – is sold in a number of galleries such as The Gas Lamp Gallery in Gorey; The Denis Collins Gallery, Wexford; Carlow Arboretum; The Irish National Heritage Park; and Westgate Design, Wexford.

Examples of his work can also be seen at www.larjoyce.com Castleboro House, Castleboro, Clonroche, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Ireland T: +353 87 2729052 - E: larjoyce76@gmail.com

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aRtIStS

Pamela Sullivan W

hen Pamela Sullivan and her sister set up Aviary Lane, a hair salon in South Anne Street, Dublin, Pamela was inspired to follow the theme and start painting birds. She loves birds, and likes to tell stories with her paintings.

Her bird paintings include ‘Crane and Glory’, which depicts the crane with its blatant flirting pose and crazy hair. ‘Flaming Flamingos’ represents Pam and her sister; the flamingos are walking away from each other, depicting their differing views, and the split background portrays their individual personalities. A third painting, ‘Tail Feathers’, represents the beauty of women and the sometimes unwanted attention of men, background swirls suggesting the ripples in society that this can cause.

Pamela’s choice of medium is oil paint, and she uses both the brush and palette knife to achieve many techniques within one painting, creating texture and movement with the paint itself.

A mum of two young children living in Skerries, Co. Dublin, Pamela has featured frequently in group exhibitions, and recently exhibited her work at Art Source in the RDS.

A selection of her work can be viewed at www.pamsullivan.art T: +353 87-9580820 E: pamsullivanartist@gmail.com

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Jennifer Hart I

nspired by local landscapes and seascapes, Jennifer Hart’s work has sold extensively to international collectors, and has been exhibited in New York and Chicago.

Her love of colour and how it interacts with our lives can be seen in her work. The vividness of the brilliant colours in her cityscapes are in strong contrast to the tranquillity of her seascapes, and generate diverse reactions from the individual viewers.

Jennifer is from Dublin, and graduated from the National College of Art and Design before going on to study at the Chelsea College of Arts in London. Her work is regularly exhibited at St Stephen’s Green and at the People’s Park, Dun Laoghaire every Sunday.

Jennifer’s work has been sold to many celebrities, including Suzi Quatro, Tammy Wynette, Disney, Morah Ryan and Ken Doherty.

T: +353 87-8288877 E: jenniferhartdesigns@gmail.com www.jenniferhart.ie

Michelle O’Donnell - Glasshammer Studios

‘T

he raw natural landscape of Ireland is my inspiration, the points where sea meets land and the effect of the elements on the land. Layers and textures, and the simple, stark, wide spaces of this gracious land offer an ever-changing source of inspiration.’

A glass artist who specialises in the production of bespoke glass art, Michelle O’Donnell, originally from Donegal, set up her studio in 1995. She operates from a large purpose-built glass studio and gallery in Rhode, Co. Offaly.

She makes an extensive range of pieces, from large architectural commissions for offices and homes to corporate awards.

Her client list is most impressive. Her work is in the White House Art Collection, Queen Elizabeth II’s private art collection, and AIB Art. To view recent work visit www.glasshammer.ie

Glasshammer Studios, Rhode, Co. Offaly T: 046-9739290 E: info@glasshammer.ie

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artists

Darragh Treacy A n artist whose varied subject matter includes still lifes, landscapes and street scenes, Darragh Treacy is predominately selftaught and favours the use of oils with an impressionistic style.

A native of Avoca, Co. Wicklow, his work is strongly influenced by his father, the renowned artist Liam Treacy, who also introduced Darragh to painting ‘en plein air’, something which he always enjoys.

He is much in demand for private painting commissions, but he also works as a set designer for television and film. This work has brought him critical acclaim and numerous design awards from the Institute of Designers of Ireland.

A member of the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club, Darragh exhibits at its annual exhibition in Dun Laoghaire. He also exhibited at the W. B. Yeats anniversary exhibition in City Assembly House, Dublin, in 2015.

His work can be found in leading Dublin galleries, and in private collections at home and abroad.

T: +353 87 7849209 E: paintings@darraghtreacy.com www.darraghtreacy.com

Kate Beagan W

orking mainly in oils, Kate Beagan is a contemporary landscape artist based in Co. Monaghan. Each canvas is a study of the distinctive topography of the country’s rural hinterlands.

Shape, pattern and colour play a large part in her choice of subject, as does the time of day and, to a large extent, the season.

She considers her paintings to be finished when they are able to convey a moment or sensation, an initial impact and a sense of mystery.

Kate exhibits with The Doorway Gallery, South Frederick St., Dublin, and The Chimera Gallery, Mullingar.

T: 087 2863915 E: kate.beagan@gmail.com www.katebeaganartist.com

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Jacinta Eiffe

F

rom a farming background, Jacinta Eiffe is an artist who takes inspiration from both the natural and man-made landscapes around her. She feels an affinity with nature and expresses the vividness of its myriad changing colours and forms in a manner that is romantic, yet touchingly honest. She is proud to have been shaped by her environment, and endeavours to find and express its beauty at every opportunity.

Painting in oils and watercolours, Jacinta produces a wide range of work. Landscapes, seascapes, cityscapes, still lifes, magnificent castles, ruined churches, humble cottages and moored fishing boats have all, at one time or another, found their way on to her canvases. Featured here are a selection of watercolours of Neolithic sites in the artist’s native county, Meath.

Jacinta has held numerous solo exhibitions and received many commissions from public bodies, including the Department of Education and Meath County Council. To mark the centenary of Bloomsday, she was commissioned to produce a series of high-quality prints of her James Joyce-inspired work by Dublin Airport Authority. They were exhibited and put on sale in Dublin and Shannon airports. Dublin Fire Brigade commissioned her to paint a scene of fire fighters entering the site of Ground Zero. This painting was presented to the New York Fire Department by their Irish colleagues on Saint Patrick’s Day, 2007. It now hangs in the 9/11 museum.

To see more samples of Jacinta’s work, or make an enquiry, visit www.jacintaeiffe.com

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Carol Cronin

SEASCAPES T

his exquisite book is a celebration of Carol Cronin’s seascape paintings. It represents a selection of her recent

‘No one has captured those atmospheric moments of light, colour, serenity and turbulence like Carol Cronin. Since she moved to West Kerry in 2002, she has developed a fascination with the sea off the West Kerry coast, and expressed this fascination in her many paintings.’

Jimmy Deenihan Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (2011 to 2014)

works and is a testament to her ability to capture and convey the mesmerising qualities of the wild Atlantic sea.

Born in Co. Wicklow, Carol now calls the

transforming finely layered unadulterated colour into a boundless seascape.

as if they are meant for you.

Seascapes is beautifully designed by Ros

Dingle peninsula her home. The images in

The effect on the observer is that we

Woodham and Carol’s works are spectacu-

this book are only a small selection of work

become actively involved, experiencing

larly reproduced in full colour. This is a book

completed there between 2006 and 2017.

the art as if we are in fact part of it,

to hold in your hand and enjoy the visceral

sometimes immersed in the painting

act of turning the pages as Carol’s beautiful

fine glazing layers of pigment, which

itself. It is this wild, unrelenting churn of

seascapes are revealed one by one.

create nuances of colour and structure,

the sea that often becomes the focus for

and lend the painting a quality of imme-

deep self-reflection within the observer.

The Carol Cronin Gallery, Green St,

diacy. It’s a technique of exploring and

The waves of Carol’s paintings draw you

Dingle, Co. Kerry

observing, filtered by memory, and then

in, encouraging you to experience them

www.carolcroninpainter.com

Carol’s artistic technique involves very

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Winter home makeover Tips to cosy up and ward off the winter chill

Scents of the season Add winter scents to your home with a few stylish aromatic candles. Decorate a console or dining table with pine cones, cinnamon or nutmeg to add wonderful fragrances. Stock up on the best winter essential oils and your home will be a beautifully scented and welcoming place. Some of the best scents for the season include anise, cardamom, cedarwood, clove, ginger, nutmeg, orange, rosemary, sage and vanilla.

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TH E I NF O R M A L F LO R I S T

INTERIORS

A warm welcome The style and colour of your front entrance says more about you than you realise. It reflects your personality as a homeowner, and is the first official hello to friends and neighbours before they step over your threshold. So why not dress up your front door for winter by giving it a new coat of paint, or by simply adding a decorative door knocker?

It doesn’t have to be Christmas to decorate the porch or front door. Create a warm welcome feeling with a winter door wreath or some lanterns. An inviting entrance will wow your neighbours and give your guests a wonderful first impression.

WO R D S LO U I S E HIGGINS

A

s temperatures drop outside it’s time to get cosy and add some winter sparkle to your home. Whether curling up with a book by the fire or hosting a seasonal dinner, we all like our homes to be warm and snug during the long winter evenings. Now is the perfect time to make a few changes indoors to beat the winter blues.

WOO DESIGN

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SHANE HOLL AND

CONBU DESIGN

Lighting

ASPIR

Lighting can completely transform an atmosphere and winter calls for a more thoughtful approach. To add more light to your rooms, a new floor lamp or table lamp will brighten those dark corners. You could also consider swapping low wattage bulbs with brighter energy efficient bulbs to help lift those dark winter afternoons.

SIG E DE N

Fire and mantel Rearrange furniture and pull pieces in toward the centre of the room, with sofas and chairs facing the hearth, to create a comfy gathering spot for winter entertaining. We all love those long cosy nights in front of the fire listening to the wind outside, so decorate the mantel for the cold season with warm, wintery decorations and soft candle light.

WOO DESIGN

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INTERIORS

Louise Higgins, founder of Perfect Headboards and Aspire Design, is an award-winning designer and a graduate of the Interior Design Academy of Ireland. Louise is a full member of the Interiors Association and is also a member of the Crafts Council of Ireland. For further advice, contact Louise at 045982265 or louise@aspiredesign.ie.

ASPIRE DESIGN

Cosy soft furnishings Nothing says cosy more than introducing new soft furnishings and accessories.

An interplay of textures will add warmth to your space, so consider rich velvet or cable-knit scatter cushions. Plaid patterns or mohair throws are a great idea too, and perfect for those chilly nights.

ASPIRE DESIGN

CONBU DESIGN

Curtain call Add pattern and colour with some bold curtains – they can instantly lift an existing scheme in a living room or bedroom, especially if the look is tied in with matching cushions and a pendant.

Curtains are not only for decorative purposes; they’re great for saving energy and keeping out winter chills.

CONBU DESIGN

Rugs, throws and blankets Throws, blankets and rugs are a super way to add warmth and colour, and to instantly update a room. Consider investing in good quality wool with a vibrant palette to give your room a splash of colour.

FABULOUS FABRIC COMPA N Y ANTHOLOGY WINTER 2017 39

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N

ádhurá is a comprehensive design and manufacturing company based in Galway City. The company name was derived from the Gaeilge ‘Nádúrtha’, meaning ‘natural’, which encapsulates a core value of the company’s outlook.

Nádhurá’s range of expertise is in the wood product and interiors sector, and the company has a passion for quality manufacturing, innovative design solutions and sustainability. With over 30+ years combined experience across a range of design and manufacturing disciplines, the group has established its own unique design identity. Each member of the Nádhurá team brings their own values and design methods into the mix, allowing for informed solutions and a positive, progressive output. The team blends this with innovative technologies to achieve products such as those from the ‘Tuath’ range – a modern furniture collection inspired

by traditional Irish country style. Projects range from domestic furniture products, like the ‘Tuath’ range, to commercial interior fitouts such as the canteen. Customers can also opt to co-design their ideal product in terms of size, finish, material and design features, resulting in a product that is exactly what the customer wants.

Nádhurá has made sustainability an integral component of the design and manufacturing process, sourcing materials in a responsible and ethical manner, and keeping manufacturing as close to the client as possible.

The Nádhurá story continues with a promising future ahead in Ireland’s design and manufacturing showcase.

Unit 2, Ballybrit Upper Industrial Estate Monivea Road , Galway T: +353 (0) 91 745599 E: info@nadhura.ie www.nadhura.ie

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Ophelia Redpath 44 WINTER 2017 ANTHOLOGY

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ARTS

‘Sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not’. When Ophelia paints jazz musicians, she hears what they are playing and feels what they are feeling. In this painting, Duke Ellington’s songs are being rehearsed before a gig.

+

CULTURE

WORDS EDEL CASSIDY

B

orn in Cambridge, where she still lives, Ophelia Redpath is lucky to have had an artistic and musical

background. Her grandmother and grandfather were both artists; her mother is a musician and her father was an English tutor at Cambridge. Between them, they introduced her to the creative possibilities within music and literature. These are the disciplines that inform Ophelia’s artistic work.

At the beginning she wasn’t sure if she wanted to follow a career in music or art.

She attended a one-year art foundation course, then went on to study Music and Education but left without finishing the degree. While trying to figure out what path to take, she occupied herself by making tiny drawings and paintings.

Her grandmother suggested she hold an exhibition of these pieces. So they collected some empty frames around her grandmother’s studio, tidied them up and mounted Ophelia’s pictures in them.

Ophelia approached the organiser of the Benslow Music Festival because there was space on a wall, and this became her first exhibition – and her first experience of getting red dots on her paintings. That was the start of her career in art, a career that has lasted for over thirty years.

You were surrounded by art and culture in your family. What was it like growing up in this creative environment?

With my parents it was more cultural than creative. My father spent much of his time translating plays, working silently on books, communicating in playfully obscure

In conversation with Edel Cassidy, visual artist Ophelia Redpath describes the process and inspiration behind her work

language, and often in a world where we couldn’t reach him.

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magic brush. Every new piece of work was an adventure for her. She once told me she was had an ongoing love affair with flowers. But to me, she seemed to be having a love affair with everything … except wasps; she used to shoot at them with an air rifle from her bedroom window.

Did you always want to become a visual artist or was there a time that you considered following a career in music?

I was always able to draw from when I was small. It just seemed a natural way of going about things. I drew on napkins, baths, walls – everywhere. It seemed to be something I was quite good at without having to try too hard. But I didn’t have a burning desire to do anything significant with it or to become an artist. I’m glad it happened that way. Art has organically woven itself into the fabric of my life and gives me the lifestyle I enjoy best – not one of financial ease, but one of autonomy, and a quiet freedom to observe, Lady in Red. This painting is based on Bath Place, a beautiful little corner of Oxford. Little Red Riding Hood has grown into a beautiful young woman. The wolf knows who is boss, and is her devoted friend.

create and connect with other people.

If I wasn’t a visual artist I’d be doing the same with words or music, though music is a great passion that reaches me on another level and complements the calmness of painting. I would never have been good enough to be a performing classical musician, nor would the pressures

‘Art has organically woven itself into the fabric of my life and gives me the lifestyle I enjoy best’ him. One year, he wrote a play for me and

my parents at home in the evenings: Mum

of that lifestyle have worked for me. I’m

my brother, featuring Mum as a reindeer,

used to sing to us at bedtime, and later on

happy to just listen to the music of others,

which we performed at Christmas and

we could hear Dad playing Bach for hours

and make up my own compositions on

which made everyone laugh, especially him.

downstairs. It was kind of hypnotic. When-

the piano. I’m working on a piano album at

He also used to dance around the house

ever I listen to Bach now it pierces me.

the moment, hopefully to play with other

to Going Places by Herb Alpert while we

My grandmother was a wonderful

trailed after him like he was the Pied Piper.

creative inspiration. She lived in a flat in a

My mum is a wonderful musician and in

tumbledown mill-house that had no heat-

musicians for fun.

Has your love of music influenced your

those days she used to teach piano, mostly

ing. Her studio took up the whole of the

to kids. I was lucky to have her as the

ground floor. The walls were whitewashed

gentlest, least pushy teacher in the world,

bricks and covered from top to bottom

Yes, very much so. I often listen to music,

qualities I wish I had myself when asking

with paintings. Everything smelled of

particularly to jazz, when I paint. Quite

my daughter to do her piano practice.

incense and dried flowers. I often stayed

often, late at night, when my daugh-

with her and watched her paint with her

ter’s asleep upstairs, I put on A Kind of

One lovely memory I carry with me is of

work?

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ARTS

+

CULTURE

a Child’. He’s sitting in the middle of the picture, portrayed in black and white, while all around him are shapes and colours that correspond to how I feel when I hear him play. He’s another absolute favourite.

And played with powder in the bathroom, from The Lemur’s Tale, a children’s book written and illustrated by Ophelia. Earl Grey, a stowaway lemur, is exploring the contents of a bathroom in a house far from Madagascar, his home country.

Visual art and music have been allied in the way their movements are titled – Classical, Romantic, Minimalist and so on. Is your style of painting connected to a particular genre of music?

What a great question! I would have to say that, for me, Baroque-period music and jazz are where it’s at. The focus on abstract harmonies and rhythms moves me.

Blue by Miles Davies while I work on a

unsettling. But Miles Davies always gets

When I’m listening to Baroque music or

painting. Without fail this particular album

through to me. The quality of his trumpet

jazz I’m not thinking about what stories are

immerses me in the creative process. I

playing is cool and warm at the same time,

being told, I’m simply held by the vibrations

can forget about the fairy-dust clogging

and conveys to me the sense of music

between notes. In my less narrative, more

up the washing-machine, or the grocery

as a refuge. I often paint musicians who

surreal paintings, I’m after those same

shopping, or my overflowing email inbox,

experience this. I once did a painting of the

qualities, only with colour and composi-

and get in the creative zone. Not all music

great jazz pianist Herbie Hancock while

tion. I’d love to be called Ophelia Redpath

does that for me. Lots of it is irritating and

I was listening to his piece ‘Speak Like

– JAZZ ARTIST! But in my narrative or

The Kelpie’s Pearls.

The Scottish kelpie myth is the story of a spirit that morphs from a wizened little man into a fierce and noble black horse who defends the lake’s pearls from greedy people who disrespect nature.

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humorous paintings, I don’t identify with any movement; I feel that I’m just being myself – gossipy!

You have developed a very unique style.

Did you go through many changes before finding this style?

What Venus did with Mars. The artist likes to bring humour to her work. Though compelled to paint this lazy grande dame on her chaise longue, Ophelia strongly disapproves of her treatment of the man.

Yes, I did. The greatest changes were at the beginning of my career when I was just feeling my way and hadn’t yet found a distinctive voice. I didn’t go to art school after I completed the foundation course, but my first five years were ones of trial and error, much like the experience for students at art school.

I started off breezing over paper with very wet brushes, wax candles, milk-bottle tops, collage. I even made paintings out of glue, all semi-abstract with little in the way of accompanying narrative. Some of them were sent straight to skips. (One of the dumped paintings found its way, unbeknownst to me, to a car boot sale, then to bric-a-brac shops, then to auction houses, until finally, many years later, it arrived on eBay where it sold for around £2,000. That astounds me!)

After a few years of experimenting, I gravitated towards a more lifelike representation of the world around us. I was particularly interested in people’s relationship to that world, and I built stories around these characters – both real and fictional. Though I brought humour into the work, I did it with a sincere belief in the

‘Music is a great passion that reaches me on another le vel and complements the calmness of painting’ authenticity of the people I was painting.

I’ve continued working in this way ever since. There’s an endless supply of stories

Tell me about your process and the materials that you prefer to use.

popping into my head, either through

I usually paint in oils on canvas or on

hearsay or via some internal narrative.

gesso-primed paper. I draw out the design

coloured inks that seduce me in the art shop. You can buy wonderful inks with a little sparkle in them.

What other artists do you admire? Have

My work takes longer to do now. The

in detail and to scale beforehand, often

style is tighter. I remember the days when I

making lots of changes along the way,

did a painting with an energetic and slightly

and when I’m happy with it, I start on

That’s always a lovely question to be

manic brush, cramming a picture with life

the painting. When I work graphically for

asked, as I can think of so many people

and movement. Now I’m more selective.

illustrative work, I do much the same but

whose works I admire and love. The older I

There is less movement, more design, more

on a smaller scale. I outline the design

get, the longer the list.

symmetry, and more symbolism, I think.

with a fineliner pen and fill with delicious

you been influenced by other artists?

Outside Western Art, I love the dec-

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arts

culture

the beginning of the Renaissance period.

with all my attention caught up in the mys-

Colours were vibrant and bold, and there

tery and poignancy of atmospheres. His

seemed just enough realism to make a

illustrations for ‘Rip Van Winkle’ and ‘Peter

story believable, but the paintings were

Pan’ captivate me.

imbued with a mysterious and innocent

Tea Equals Sustenance Over Time. With a cup of Earl Grey in her hand, Ophelia likes to philosophise. Here, Great Aunt Millicent is both young and old, cold and warm, united with, but separate from, her great niece and nephew.

+

Another personal favourite is British

beauty that made them almost jewel-like.

artist Samuel Palmer, who isn’t universally

Artists like Pisanello, Uccello, Piero della

celebrated but seems to me to be one of

Francesca and Botticelli are the ones I’m

the most quietly individualistic painters

thinking about in particular. Then there are

ever. His mystery and passion for colour

Pieter Bruegel, Jan Van Eyck and Vermeer.

in nature is magic. Toulouse Lautrec is up

I’m not so interested in the more Baroque,

there as one of my true heroes. He nailed

theatrical Renaissance or Rococo periods,

the character of late nineteenth-cen-

though I love the colours and the surreal

tury Paris, like Dickens did for Victorian

adventurousness of Tintoretto.

England. His empathic treatment of the

Among the later periods in art, I don’t go

characters he paints or turns into prints is

so much for movements as for individu-

beautiful. Of the post-Impressionists, I love

als. From a graphic perspective, I like the

Gauguin and Modigliani in particular. And

eighteenth-century Georgian and Regency

both Magritte and Stanley Spencer have

orativeness of Persian and Indian art,

cartoons of the underbelly of apparently

been a huge inspiration. Contemporary

the bold patterns of African and South

civilised life by artists like Thomas Row-

artists Michael Sowa and Mike Worrall

American textiles, and the radiant colours

landson, for example. And then there’s

intrigue me with their fantasy, humour and

that permeate Mexican culture. In terms of

William Blake, and children’s artists Arthur

surreal outlook on life.

Western Art, I’d say my favourite period is

Rackham and Edmund Dulac. Rackham’s

the little pocket of artistic heaven just at

world was how I looked at things as a kid,

If I had to select my all-time favourite paintings, they would be: ‘Portrait of

When a dog is not a dog. The story runs that a Cambridge academic had a dog, which he wanted to keep on college premises, where dogs are forbidden. So he called it ‘Cat’, and no one could object. In this painting the man is a linguistics professor, which is lucky for the dog.

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The Cat’s Ship.

Ophelia would like to visit Greece and experience its colours.

She is jealous of anyone who has ever been there!

Leonello d’Este‘ by Pisanello, ‘Battle of

It might never see daylight again.

colours and metallic silvers and golds.

You ask about my father. I’m not sure

San Romano’ and ‘Hunt in the Forest’ by

I have written and illustrated a kid’s

Paolo Uccello, ‘Landscape with the Fall

book, The Lemur’s Tale, which was also

if he directly influenced my writing. He

of Icarus’ by Bruegel, ‘Bonjour Monsieur

a struggle. The writing part wasn’t too

was an academic and I’m not. But he was

Gauguin’, by Gauguin ‘At the Moulin Rouge,

hard; it only took me a few weeks. But

the kind of person you wanted to write

The Dance’ by Lautrec, ‘Portrait of Jeanne

the illustrations had to be just so, with

about, as watching him go about his daily

Hébuterne, 1919’ by Modigliani, ‘Cornfield

the right amount of depth to convey

life was like stumbling upon a different

by Moonlight’ by Samuel Palmer, ‘The

meaning, yet with enough warmth so as

type of logic. I once saw him cook a

Empire of Light’ by Magritte, ‘Owl and Egg’

not to frighten the kids. And there were

frankfurter in a kettle, and if his food was

by Michael Sowa, and ‘Blue Room’ and

all sorts of technicalities I wasn’t aware

too hot he’d pour a jug of water over it

‘Altered State’ by Mike Worrall.

of when I embarked on the project, and

to cool it down. If he wanted to get to a

which the editors, Penny Worms and

place quickly, he would drive right across

Amelia Edwards, patiently had to teach

municipal roundabouts. He also laughed

me. Three years on, and many grey hairs

at jokes that weren’t funny. This is my

later, I finished the book!

way of saying that he was too intelligent

You have also written books. Please tell me about them. Have you been influenced by your father?

Since then I’ve written a light-hearted

to understand, but a delight to observe.

I love to write at home. When I get time

coffee-table book for adults, An ABC

When he wasn’t being complicated he

I like to craft little vignettes of life into

of Cambridge Professors. Each page

was very kind; it touched me deeply

stories. At one stage, I managed to write

features a letter from the alphabet,

when he told me I could be a good writer.

a novel. It was a delicious struggle, but I

illustrated by a fictional professor doing

Maybe once I’ve ditched the adjectives, he

ended up enjoying adjectives too much, so

something beginning with that letter. I

might read my novel in some alternative

I’ll probably need the rest of my life to edit

tried to give it the stylised feel of an illu-

universe. I’d like that. He might tell me to

them out. It’s sitting in a drawer, blushing.

minated manuscript, using lots of bright

put them back in again, but I doubt it!

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Van Eyck and the Pre-Raphaelites An exhibition at The National Gallery, London, explores how Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait triggered a revolution in British painting

I

WORDS EDEL CASSIDY

n the mid-nineteenth century, a group of rebellious and disillusioned young artists banded together to form a secret society, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The aim was to create a new British art that expressed genuine ideas, and that was heartfelt, direct and true to nature, in rejection of the popular artistic teachings of the day which, they felt, demanded an artificial, mannered approach to painting. As the name suggests, they looked to the past – ‘before Raphael’ – drawing their inspiration from the late Mediaeval and early Renaissance paintings of Northern Europe and Italy.

The founding members, William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, were colleagues at the Royal Academy of Arts, which was at that time situated in the east wing of the National Gallery building in Trafalgar Square. They became fascinated with The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck, which hung just a few rooms away from where they studied. Its jewel-like colour palette and intricate detail certainly has parallels with their own style. The refined oil painting technique of this fifteenth-century masterpiece and its use of the convex mirror, which famously shows a reflection of Van Eyck himself, left a lasting impression on the Pre-Raphaelites. They adopted the use of mirror imagery throughout their own work as a means of exploring ideas of distortion, doubling and reflection, but also as a way to convey complex psychological dramas.

The Arnolfini Portrait is now being exhibited for the first time alongside celebrated works by the Pre-Raph-

aelite Brotherhood and its successors at The National Gallery, London. The exhibition brings together paintings featuring the motif of the mirror as an artistic device, and sheds light on the different ways these young British artists of the nineteenth century responded to Van Eyck’s masterpiece.

The exhibition runs at The National Gallery, London until 2 April 2018

Jan van Eyck Portrait of Giovanni (?) Arnolfini and his Wife and ‘The Arnolfini Portrait’, 1434.

Oil on oak, 82.2 x 60 cm.

The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London Born in the late 1300s, Flemish painter Jan van Eyck became one of northern Europe’s most important painters of the fifteenth century. Considered to have been the first great master of oil painting, his technique was unprecedented – not just in using oils, but in manipulating layers of thin translucent oil glazes to build up a sense of deep and real space.

With this innovative technique he also achieved a sense of luminous, glowing colour.

The precision with which the Flemish artist rendered the minute details in this wonderfully preserved panel fascinated the Pre-Raphaelites. In particular, the carved frame of the mirror, inset with ten miniature medallions depicting scenes from the Passion of Christ, is painted with such extraordinary skill that it is thought that Van Eyck used a magnifying glass. Even more remarkable is the mirror’s curved glass, showing us another image of the room with all its details reproduced as reflections. It takes in the whole room – the backs of the man and woman and two small figures coming in through the door, one believed to be the artist himself.

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arts

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culture

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John Everett Millais Mariana, 1851 Oil on mahogany, 59.7 × 49.5 cm © Tate, London (T07553)

Dante Gabriel Rossetti Lucrezia Borgia, 1860–1 Graphite and watercolour on paper, 43.8 × 25.8 cm © Tate, London (N03063) A British poet, illustrator, painter and translator, Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882) was the son of an Italian political refugee, a poet and Dante scholar, who was professor of Italian at King’s College, London. Rossetti was steeped throughout his childhood in medieval Italian culture, which became a major source of artistic inspiration and subject matter. In 1846 he was accepted into the Royal Academy of Arts, but he was there only a year before he became dissatisfied and left to study under Ford Madox Brown.

In Rossetti’s Lucrezia Borgia, the subject washes her hands after poisoning her husband, Duke Alfonso Bisceglie who, together with her father, Pope Alexander VI, is reflected in the mirror behind her. The reflection shows her father assisting the Duke to walk, thereby ensuring that the poison infects his entire body.

The subject’s gaze is directed at the viewer, who occupies the position that is figuratively occupied by the two men in the mirror. The mirror captures and discloses the storyline, which is an important part of the painting’s message.

A child prodigy, John Everett Millais (1829–1896) was accepted to London’s Royal Academy of Arts when he was only eleven years old, and remains to this day the youngest pupil ever admitted. He is recognised for his meticulous attention to detail and striking colour palette that captures the viewer’s attention.

When Millais first exhibited this picture in 1851, it was accompanied by lines from Tennyson’s poem Mariana (1830), inspired by the character of Mariana in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. Rejected by her fiancé when her dowry was lost at sea, Mariana becomes a recluse and lives a secluded existence, but still loves and yearns for her erstwhile betrothed.

In the picture the autumn leaves scattered on the ground mark the passage of time. Mariana has been working at some embroidery and pauses to stretch her back. Millais included many details that relate directly to Tennyson’s poem. To the right he includes the candlelit ‘secret shrine’, but curiously the subject does not look at her reflection in the mirror, as it says in the poem. Instead, the artist positions Mariana before the stained-glass rendering of the Virgin Mary who is her mirror image. She poses as if looking in a mirror, and identifies with her namesake who presents an image of perfect, fulfilled womanhood, in contrast to the discontented, dissatisfied Mariana.

Convex mirror owned by Gabriel Dante Rossetti Kelmscott Manor © Society of Antiquaries of London (Kelmscott Manor).

Photograph: Andy Stammers Photography

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arts

+

culture

William Holman Hunt The Lady of Shalott, about 1886–1905 Oil on wood, 44.4 x 34.1 cm Manchester Art Gallery © Manchester City Galleries/Bridgeman Images Born in London, William Holman Hunt (1827–1910) worked as an office clerk before being accepted at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1844.

His paintings were notable for their vivid colour, brilliant lighting and careful attention to detail. Hunt’s The Lady of Shalott is a representation of Tennyson’s poem in which the Lady is forbidden to look out her window towards Camelot; if she does, some unknown doom will befall her. So she watches the ‘shadows of the world’ through a mirror and continually weaves what she sees into a tapestry on her loom.

The painting depicts the fateful moment when she sees the reflection of Sir Lancelot riding by and cannot resist looking at him directly from the forbidden window. In doing do so, however, she also sees Camelot, which immediately brings the curse upon her.

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William Orpen The Mirror, 1900 Oil on canvas, 50.8 × 40.6 cm © Tate, London (N02940) Born in Stillorgan, County Dublin, Sir William Orpen (1878–1931) was enrolled, at the age of thirteen, at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art, and later studied at the Slade School of Art, London. He became a leading portrait painter in London, and also worked as one of Britain’s official war artists during the First World War. Orpen was not a proponent of Pre-Raphaelitism, but it is believed that his use of the convex mirror was primarily influenced by Van Eyck’s The Arnolfini Portrait – by 1900 any reference to the Van Eyck mirror inherently carried an association with the Pre-Raphaelite re-interpretation of the work.

The sitter in this portrait is Emily Scoble, a model from the Slade School of Art to whom Orpen was briefly engaged; the room is said to be an accurate portrayal of Orpen’s lodgings. The circular mirror on the wall reflects the artist painting at his easel and a second figure of an unidentified lady. The model does not interact with the mirror but gazes out towards the viewer, which demonstrates that the mirror’s reflection is for the viewer rather than the subject.

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featured hotel : irel and

Sheen Falls Lodge Set on the Wild Atlantic Way, outside the town of Kenmare, Co. Kerry, the Sheen Falls provides the ultimate in hospitality.

J

ust ten minutes from the picturesque town of

Activities

Kenmare, this five-star Relais & Chateaux country

Salmon fishing on a private stretch of the River Sheen,

house is situated in one of the most beautiful places

horse-riding holidays in dramatic countryside, world-class

in the world. Deer and other wildlife roam freely around

golf, kayaking, falconry, clay pigeon shooting, hill walking and

the tranquil estate. Guests can enjoy the magnificent views,

tennis are among the activities on offer. There is also the

the changing seascapes in the bay as the tide turns, the

option to meander along riverside walks and forest path-

dramatic McGillycuddy Reeks in the background, and the

ways, explore the hidden nineteenth-century plantation, or

cascading Sheen waterfalls.

contemplate the inspiring art on display in the hotel’s gallery.

True to its history as the summer retreat of the Marquis of Lansdowne, the guest rooms feature custom-made

The Easanna Spa

furnishings, and each room is decorated with sublime

A visit to Easanna Spa is the perfect way to unwind after

taste and style. Whether watching a movie from the

a day exploring outdoors. Luxuriate with a Jacuzzi, sauna

extensive library or reading a book on the window seat,

and steam room, or simply recline around the stylish indoor

this is the perfect place to unwind and listen to the gentle

heated pool. This safe haven of tranquillity also offers a

murmur of the Sheen Waterfalls.

variety of signature Elemis and Voya treatments.

Dining

Weddings

The Ă la carte menu changes nightly, highlighting seasonal

As one of the top country house wedding venues in Ireland,

local produce in the elegant 2 AA Rosette restaurant, The

Sheen Falls Lodge is a spectacular choice for your cere-

Falls. A speciality is the home-smoked salmon caught on the

mony or reception. The hotel can host events for between

estate. A culinary feast awaits diners of fresh, local produce

14 and 200 guests, catering for both intimate weddings

that few can rival, including seafood from Castletownbere

and grand lavish occasions, and offers a choice of elegant

and organic vegetables from suppliers just down the lane.

venues and spaces depending on the size of the party.

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Lešić Dimitri Palace Where the Silk Road begins

A private retreat in the heart of the old town of Korčula on a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea; a former eighteenth-century bishop’s palace, with five luxury standalone apartments.

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FEATURED HOTEL : INTERNATIONAL

LD Restaurant The restaurant’s waterfront terrace is a fantastic spot to enjoy a range of special menus based on flavourful Croatian cuisine and updated traditional recipes, all produced by Chef Marko Gajski and his team. The focus is on local seasonal produce, such as wild asparagus, wild herbs and vegetables paired with new season wine releases, olive oils, and the excellent local sea food and meat. There is also an upstairs dining room, and à la carte breakfasts, including fresh fruit salad, homemade granola and eggs, are made to order and can be enjoyed either in the dining room or in your own room.

Activities and Services Guests can hire a private sailing boat, skipper included, for glamorous trips around the island. You can also experience the beautiful sunsets over the Pelješac Channel while bathing and relaxing or while cruising the archipelago and enjoying a sparkling wine or cocktail. Or why not take a guided sightseeing tour and learn about the rich history of the old town of Korčula, or visit some of the best Croatian wine and olive oil producers? Visitors are also welcome to Don Pavla Poše 1-6 Korčula 20260 Croatia +385 20 715 560 reservations@ldpalace.com www.ldpalace.com

L

ešić Dimitri Palace stands in the heart

The palace underwent five years of

the house that is believed to be the birth-

of the old town of Korčula, a town

renovations to attain its current splen-

place of Marco Polo (next door to Lešić

in the east of an Adriatic island also

dour. Original exterior features have

Dimitri Palace) and to see the spectacular

called Korčula, where according to some

been lovingly restored and the palace

views across the red roofs of the town.

sources the legendary traveller merchant,

now offers luxury accommodation in five

explorer and writer Marco Polo was born.

self-contained, fully serviced apartments.

LD Spa

The island is rich in vineyards, olive groves,

Each ‘residence’ has a unique theme and

The Spa at Lešić Dimitri offers an extensive

beautiful beaches and small villages of both

evokes a step in Marco Polo’s journey,

list of treatments, with influences from

historical significance and natural beauty.

from the Oriental-inspired furnishings of

the Silk Road – India, Thailand and the

the China suite to the spacious Arabia

Mediterranean, performed by palace’s Thai

was also occupied by the aristocratic

apartment with predominantly white

and Ayurveda therapists who are trained

Lešić family at the end of the seventeenth

decor and a 360-degree view of the

to world-class standards in countries with

century. For a period, the property was

blue Pelješac Channel and neighbouring

centuries’ worth of spa tradition. Natural

put to public use, but eventually stood

islands. The independent suite has a fully

products, created especially for Lešić Dimitri

empty and virtually abandoned until it was

equipped kitchen, living room, dining

Palace using herbs, roots, flowers and fruits

rescued in 2000 when the complex was

area, flatscreen TV, DVD player, radio,

organically grown along the Silk Road from

purchased by a new owner.

iPod dock and minibar.

Dalmatia to Asia, feature in the treatments.

A former bishop’s palace, Lešić Dimitri

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Irish Designers

Collective

Winter 2017

The Winter 2017 collections from the very talented members of the Council of Ireland Fashion Designers (CIFD) place an emphasis on quality and distinctiveness. Rich colours and exquisite details accent the approach. The collections are full of collectables that will continue to be favourites long beyond the seasonal calendar.

Leonora Ferguson This collection of sculptural headpieces was created using handmade wire lace. The linear lace veils were inspired by swirling formations of starlings in the sky. The ultimate way to vamp up the glamour, these headpieces appear to float around the wearer – a wisp of fabric caught in time.

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Delphine Grandjouan A range of dresses and suits that are equally appropriate for the office, cocktail hour or winter wedding. Easy to wear, these outfits emphasise fit and flow, with a high quality finish – some pieces have an intricate lace appliqué detail or add-on collar.

Heidi Higgins Reconsidering the classics, the signature ‘elegance with a twist’ comes in fine crepes, double heavy-weights and fluid high-tech fabrics. The other feature that will lure us to the label is the inclusion of scarlet reds and fuchsia pinks – the season’s favourite hues.

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Niamh Daniels Combining a strong use of colour with a wide range of textile printing techniques, the designer also uses her own drawing, painting and photography to create the signature style. The interesting designs are inspired by the flora, fauna and dramatic skies of the West of Ireland.

Caroline Mitchell One of the best things about winter is that we can be comfy without compromising on style.

Using every permutation of knitting stitch imaginable, punctuated by perforations, hand beading, crochet and appliqué details, these knits are both slick and easy to wear.

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Margaret O’Connor All handmade by Margaret, these wearable works of art will serve as the crowning glory for all your new-season outfits. Her colourful collection ranges from eclectic haute couture to whimsical and exquisite occasion wear.

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Niamh O’Neill Renowned for her precisely cut dresses and sculpted feminine silhouettes, Niamh O’Neill is inspired by Japanese clothing from the 1900s, combined with the elegant couture silhouettes of the 1950s.

A colour palette of black, red, pink and grey adds to the confident vibrancy and romantic appeal of this collection.

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Give the gift of Anthology One Year Subscription Within Ireland €20 International €25 Receive four issues in print throughout the year. Keep up to date with the latest news in luxury lifestyle and wellbeing, interiors, adventures and destinations, fashion and beauty, art and culture, and more. info@anthology-magazine.com +353 87 1945406

SPRING 2017 #03

€3.50 £2.50

FASHION

TRAVEL

ARTS

INTERIORS

The Met to honour Comme des Garçons • Best in Bridal 2017

Portugal’s picturesque Alentejo • Red Square and the Kremlin

Showcasing Irish crafts • Photographer and digital artist Ken Coleman

Bespoke furniture makers • The Interiors Association

Spring 2017 Issue 03 00_cover.indd 3

27/03/2017 22:16

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Take

COVER T op of any style-conscious man’s sartorial wish list

should be the statement overcoat. At this time of

year, there is simply no better way to complement

an outfit than adding a winter coat. This season’s trends include broad-shouldered, double-breasted coats that can be worn boxy and unbuttoned to showcase your master-level layering. Whether worn over a business suit, or jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt, the classic colours are back, including camel, navy and grey. Heritage patterns are hugely popular – specifically plaid, a pattern that has long been associated with some of history’s most elegant and confident dressers.

Canali Known for timeless elegance but always with something new to say, the collection is designed to accompany the modern man throughout every moment of his day. The focus of the collection is on construction, and on fabrics such as wool or cashmere blended with silk, vicuña and chinchilla.

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Cerutti 1881 In a collection that celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of Cerruti, it was appropriate for Jason Basmajian to pay homage to the legacy of the house founder, Nino Cerruti. The fifties look is very much in the spirit of Nino, who always emphasised the importance of fabric and of relaxed, tailored elegance.

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Lanvin A collection that is faithful to the heritage that this Parisian fashion house has represented for nearly a century: sophisticated style and impeccable tailoring. The traditional construction and choice of fabrics is balanced by adding details such as frayed edges and visible stitching, giving a feeling of spontaneity.

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Boglioli Boglioli’s signature style revolves around a construction technique that leaves coats light as feathers, totally unlined yet perfectly fitted, elegant but relaxed, an easy feel combined with exceptional quality.

The designer has added flair to the collection with a colour palette of muted blues, octanes and teals.

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ure Haute Co ut

Beads, se quins, irid escent pa terns, tra tnsparent fabrics, in embroide trica rie works com s and floral appliq te uÊ bine to pr esent a g statemen rand t fr couturier om the most talen s in ted fashion. A the world of luxu ry nthology brings yo of the mo u so st breath t a king crea me from the tions Win Couture C ter 2017–2018 Ha ute ollection s.

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Ralph & Russo

Inspired by the work of legendary fashion photographe rs Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton and Norman Parkinson, the palette shimmers with flashes of icy pastel hues. Motion is captured with devorĂŠd white feathers, floor-sweeping trains and ribbons of metallic chainmail. Tulle, lace or chiffon overlays add a new dimension to classic silhouettes.

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These stunning works of artistic fashion app ear like a showcase lightness that gives of graceful, levitatin a sense of flight. No g sculptures and po lace, frills or bling, bu ssess a t the focus is on pre cision cuts and a per fect finish, with strate gic cut-outs placed to reveal

StĂŠphane Rolland

just enough skin.

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d a k a N d a i Z

on, tulle an of silk, chiff estic gowns aj m e ininity. ad m m fe g Beautifully a bewitchin y landscape. s to reveal er ow ld sn ou a sh of d the back an llating motifs h the scinti cut-outs on immers wit flakes, with gl n ow io sn ct ed lle st’ co pearl-studd Crystal Fore l icicles and ‘The Snow with crysta ed sh lli be em organza are

d

JUST A SHY GUY A new museum dedicated to the life and work of Yves Saint Laurent (1936–2008) opens in the capital of fashion.

WORDS EDEL CASSIDY PHOTOS COURTESY OF MUSÉE Y VES SAINT L AURENT PARIS

A

t a press conference on 7th

Yves Saint Laurent was born on 1 August

January 2002, Yves Saint Laurent

1936 in Oran, Algeria, then a French colony,

announced his intention to retire

where he spent his entire youth. In 1955,

from fashion designing and the closure of

after briefly studying at the Chambre

his haute couture house. In October 2017,

Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris,

just over fifteen years later, Musée Yves

Michel de Brunhoff, director of Vogue

Saint Laurent has opened in Paris. It is

(Paris), introduced him to Christian Dior,

located just across the river from the Eiffel

who immediately hired him as his assistant.

Tower at 5 Avenue Marceau, the legendary

When the Dior died in 1957, Saint Laurent

premises where Yves Saint Laurent de-

became artistic director of the house of

signed his collections from 1974 to 2002.

Dior. His first collection, known as the ‘Tra-

The shy man who revolutionised fashion had always had an unshakable conviction not only that he would be famous one

peze’ collection, was an immediate success when it was unveiled in January 1958.

Along with Pierre Bergé, his long-time

day, but that his legacy would live on. After

friend and business partner and one time

blowing out the candles on his thirteenth

life partner, Saint Laurent decided to open

birthday, he announced to his family:

his own haute couture house. He present-

‘One day I’ll see my name in lights on the

ed his first collection in January 1962, and

Champs-Elysées.’ With the same resolute

proceeded to invent the modern female

confidence, he meticulously catalogued all

wardrobe, designing the pea coat and

his work from the eighties onwards and be-

the trench coat in 1962, the first women’s

gan marking pieces with ‘M’ for ‘museum’.

tuxedo in 1966, the safari jacket and first

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ARTS

+

CULTURE

Yves Saint Laurent in his studio, 1986

women’s pantsuit in 1967, and the first sheer looks and jumpsuit in 1968.

By referring to male codes of dress, he gave women confidence, boldness and the symbols of power while still maintaining their femininity. However, Saint Laurent wanted to dress all types of woman, not only wealthy haute couture clients. His Saint Laurent Rive Gauche boutique, which opened in Paris in 1966, was the first ready-to-wear store to bear a couturier’s name, and it paved the way for ready-towear fashion as we now know it. He began designing costumes for the theatre, music hall, ballet and cinema in the 1950s, and continued to do so throughout his career.

As early as 1965, Saint Laurent started paying tribute to visual artists in his haute couture collections. His well-known Mondrian dresses were followed by pop art dresses in 1966, and a homage to Bambara art in 1967. In the 1970s, he honoured Picasso and Diaghilev in his collections, and later went on to pay tribute to Matisse, Cocteau, Braque, Van Gogh and Apollinaire.

Saint Laurent conserved a selection of prototypes from each collection, along with their matching accessories.

In addition, the complete archives for each collection were preserved, including original sketches, the ateliers’ specification sheets, handling records, collection boards, photographs, photographic and video documentation of the fashion shows, client ANTHOLOGY WINTER 2017 79

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‘It’s an extraordinary visual narrative; the museum’s curators are spoiled for choice, with a vast collection of 5,000 garments and 15,000 accessories to select from for the main exhibition spaces’ books and press archives.

to execute a design in order to determine

that went into presenting each collection.

Beginning in 1982, the practice of

the price. Patterns and toiles were used to

It’s an extraordinary visual narrative; the

conserving certain prototypes became

create prototypes, along with the embroi-

museum’s curators are spoiled for choice,

more systematic, with ‘M’ and later ‘Musée’

dery samples and textile prints. Additional

with a vast collection of 5,000 garments

being noted in the ateliers’ specifica-

documents note the ideas behind each

and 15,000 accessories to select from for

tion sheets. This was how Saint Laurent

fashion show and subsequent sales, includ-

the main exhibition spaces.

indicated which prototypes he wanted to

ing fashion show records, press kits and

keep in the house archives.

invitations. These records make it possible

Marceau contrasted with the sumptuous

to reconstruct the process and planning

salons, and offered the kind of atmos-

Saint Laurent, a frenetic draftsman,

The designer’s studio at 5 Avenue

sometimes made hundreds of drawings for a collection. These drawings have been preserved, in addition to preparatory sketches charting his creative progress.

Specification sheets give the fabric and colour references, the names of suppliers, and the exact accessories associated with the design. As the garment was made each change was carefully noted.

Other documents in the archives detail the ideas behind each fashion show and subsequent sales. The handling records note the amounts, costs and sources of supplied goods, in addition to the time it took

top: A display on the ground floor of the museum. Photo: Luc Castel. bottom: (Left) Dress from Yves Saint Laurent’s homage to Piet Mondrian (1965). Photo: Alexandre Guirkinger; (Right) An Yves Saint Laurent sketch of a jumpsuit from the Fall 1969 Couture collection.

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arts

+

culture

top: The Cabinet of Curiosities displays Saint Laurent’s keen eye for jewellery. Accessories formed an essential part of his signature style. bottom: (Left) The studio where Saint Laurent invented the modern female wardrobe, including the famed safari jacket; (Right) Evening dresses from the inaugural retrospective display.

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bELoW: (Left) Pierre Bergé during the Yves Saint Laurent Museum renovation in 2017. Photo: Luc Castel; (Right) 5 Avenue Marceau, exterior view, 1982. Photograph

by Sacha ©Sacha. bottom: Yves Saint Laurent in his studio, 1986.

phere he needed to create: a bright, quiet,

evoking the atmosphere that prevailed

neutral space with a mirrored wall that

during the preparation of a collection.

allowed him to watch his models during

Rotating retrospective displays and

the fittings. The work table that belonged

temporary thematic exhibitions present

to Saint Laurent since 1962 still bears his

rich collections, and the inaugural display

personal objects, sketches, fabric swatch-

features approximately fifty designs

es, embroidery samples, and photos,

alongside accessories, sketches, photographs and videos. The former haute couture salon and legendary studio where Yves Saint Laurent worked showcases the couturier’s creative genius and offers visitors a glimpse of his creative process in designing an haute couture collection.

A second museum to safeguard Saint Laurent’s legacy has also opened recently in his beloved Marrakesh, the Moroccan city that fired his imagination and inspired his use of colour and which he visited twice a year to design his haute couture collections.

‘Fashions fade, style is eternal.’

Yves Saint Laurent

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Elemis Life Elixirs Perfume Oil

O

ne of the most emotive passages from Shake-

A range of five modern aromatics that harness the traditional therapeutic properties of essential oils: Calm – Clarity – Fortitude – Embrace – Sleep. Created to tune in to our ever-changing needs; when there is a need for mindfulness, but no time; when wellness is strived for, but stress takes over. Whether you need to quieten your mind or bring things into sharp focus, the Elemis Life Elixirs range is designed to help achieve positivity and inner harmony, along with a unique sensory experience that is easy to fall in love with. Each scent is intricately blended with up to nineteen essential oils and comes in a compact rollerball applicator.

speare’s Antony and Cleopatra describes the arrival of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, on her barge as she

arrives to meet Marc Antony: ‘Purple the sails, and so perfumed that The winds were lovesick with them.’

Legend has it that Cleopatra, known as the most beautiful woman in history, embraced the seductive powers of perfume by coating the sails of her boat with fragrant oils so that Marc Antony would

the of POWER WORDS RÓISÍN CASSIDY

be enchanted by the exotic scent before laying eyes on her.

The sense of smell is distinctly different to our other senses – sight, hearing, touch and taste – in how it sends information to the brain. It bypasses the thalamus and goes immediately to the most primitive part of the brain, the rhinencephalon, also known as the ‘nose brain’ or the olfactory brain.

The limbic system, the seat of our emotions and memories, resides in this ‘nose brain’, and smells provide instant data that can elicit the primal and the mysterious: sexual desire, appetite, emotion, fear and memory. Perfume, therefore, is much more than an adornment – it is also a means of communication. The scents we choose to wear don’t just define us as individuals, they also leave a lasting impression on those around us. A particular scent can lift a mood, evoke fond memories, or simply make the wearer magnetically attractive.

A luxury perfume also makes a perfect gift. Here are some of my favourites:

Lola James Harper There is something uniquely charming about the Lola James Harper traditional glass bottles. Each scent is created by the brand’s founder, Rami Mekdachi, who has created fragrances for the likes of Roger Vivier and Chloé to reflect a particular memory in his life. The brand promises to deliver a story behind every bottle and has acquired something of a cult following in recent years. Each fragrance is an olfactory snapshot of their well-travelled founder’s favourite places – and people – from around the world. My favourites are the newly launched ‘Play Again Now’ woody scent that works really well for winter and Christmas, and ‘Do What You Love’ which is perfect for a Valentine’s Day gift.

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BEAUT Y

IZIA by Sisley Isabelle d’Ornano, creator of Izia and matriarch of the family that founded and owns Sisley, created a fragrance based on a particularly beautiful rose from her garden. It was proud and capricious, climbing high and only flowering once a year for a short time. But even when mixed with other flowers, its fragrance overpowered them all. This rose became the starting point for this young, dynamic and feminine fragrance. The packaging and interesting, uniquely shaped bottle give an instant feeling of luxury. It opens with a fresh, fruity, lemon top note. As the middle notes appear, the rose starts to bloom. It is a beautiful, unusual fragrance with impressive longevity.

perfume ‘Long after one has forgotten what a woman wore, the memory of her perfume lingers.’ — Christian Dior

Aura by Mugler The Mugler perfume division has begun a new chapter in its history with ‘Aura’, a fragrance designed to awaken women’s innermost instincts. The amazing emerald-green bottle is shaped like a multi-faceted jewel and was designed by Thierry Mugler himself, then brought to life by a sculptor. The scent’s composition includes rhubarb leaf, orange blossom, Bourbon vanilla, wolfwood and tiger liana. It’s a very interesting fragrance. On application the vanilla is immediately evident with a hint of rhubarb.

Then the floral notes appear, together with a wonderful waft of warm, lush greenery before it settles into a beautiful, well-balanced, smooth vanilla tone. Longevity is excellent.

Parterre Perfumes This new British-based fragrance brand is one to watch out for. A fifty-acre botanical garden in Keyneston Mill, Dorset, dedicated to aromatic and scented plants, is also the birthplace of Parterre.

Founded and run by Julia and David Bridger, the gardens now boast around 1,000 varieties of scented plant. What got me seriously excited about this scent is the brand’s collaboration with master perfumer, Jacques Chabert, the nose behind Guerlain’s Samsara and Chanel’s Cristalle.

Three fragrances that satisfy different tastes are ‘A Tribute to Edith’, Parterre’s homage to Edith Piaf, ‘Root of All Goodness’, and my favourite – ‘Run of the River’, a sparkling citrus with notes of bergamot mint, lemon thyme and juniper.

Note de Yuzu by Maison Kitsuné French fashion house and music label Maison Kitsuné has recently unveiled its first ever fragrance. A collaboration with Heeley Parfums, the debut eau de parfum is a multicultural blend of British, French and Japanese influences. True to its name, the fragrance’s main scent comes from the yuzu fruit, a reference to traditional Japanese yuzu baths that are popular in Japan during the autumn months. Soaking in a wooden tub filled with salt-laden water upon which float slices of yuzu is a fall ritual for many. Other elements of the fragrance include Vetiver d’Haiti and white musk, finished with a touch of sea salt.

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T

he changing nature of today’s workplace has placed employee productivity firmly at the top of the

agenda for most organisations. As a result, exhausted employees may feel overwhelmed, suffer from stress and burnout, and find it difficult to maintain the mental strength to keep motivated.

We all have days when we wonder where our enthusiasm and positivity has disappeared to – it doesn’t have to be a wet Monday morning. It can be difficult to stay positive all the time, particularly when

Work well,

beat burnout,

stress less

we’re under pressure or encountering those daily frustrations that arise in work.

It’s certainly not unusual for motivation

Be positive to improve performance and stay motivated at work

to hit more troughs than peaks at these times. Add to this the fact that our brains are naturally susceptible to focusing on negative thoughts because of thousands

words jeannie croucher

of years of conditioning as hunter-gatherers struggling to survive and needing to anticipate threats to our well-being.

Nowadays, however, this kind of negative thinking can result in hours of lost

• Differentiate between what is true

work environment but also for the com-

productivity: nothing gets done while we

and what’s a lie. Our minds can some-

pany and its success. Showing that you’re

listen to that inner voice which convinces

times be filled with pessimistic thoughts

willing to take on new challenges can be

us we will fail at a task, despite our best

about ourselves and our abilities. Take

an extremely inspirational thing for others

efforts. Studies have shown that pessi-

time out to write down these thoughts.

to experience. It will also give you a sense

mism is detrimental to physical and mental

Ask yourself if they are really true.

of satisfaction, knowing the contribution

health, as well as a major obstacle to our

Separating our thoughts from the facts

you’re making. Even smiling and making

performance at work.

often gives us more clarity. Watch out

positive statements will ease everyone’s

for words like ‘never’, ‘always’ and ‘worst’.

life in the office.

The good news is, there are lots of ways to perk ourselves up and regain that

This will help to provide a more rational

necessary positive attitude, resulting in a

way of looking at things.

ronment for ourselves and our colleagues.

• Take some time out to set goals and reflect. This will help you to monitor

happier and more efficient working envi• Build a healthy and positive relation-

progress and think about how some

ship with co-workers. We spend a lot of

elements of your performance can be

time with them each week, so it’s benefi-

improved. Take the opportunity to learn

cial if relations are good. Each person has

something new, challenge yourself and

their role to play in a company, and build-

set goals. These goals will prompt you

ing healthy relationships with colleagues

to keep focused and remain motivated,

is important, not just for the sake of the

which in turn can reinforce an air of posi-

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business

‘When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.’

– Henry Ford tivity in your thinking. Creating a window

Even looking forward to an upcoming

itive people. Keeping a gratitude journal can

for some quiet time each morning before

social event will suffice. It all helps to dis-

be a great way to develop this habit and will

things become hectic can settle the mind,

tract the brain from unpleasant thoughts

be a reminder of the things we ought to be

boost well-being and reduce stress.

and ideas. While it might seem like a very

grateful for. It’s important to show appreci-

simple task, this will actually take some

ation for others’ help. Thanking colleagues

• Focus on positive thoughts. Any

practice. Make it a daily habit for greatest

for the effort they’ve made and giving

positive thought will do. It will prevent

and long-lasting benefit.

credit when it’s due encourages them and makes them feel their work is worthwhile.

the brain from wandering into negative territory. For example, you might recall a

• Practise gratitude. This can be easy to

In turn, it gives you a sense of satisfaction

moment when a colleague showed great

overlook and dismiss, but it’s an effective

knowing that your gratitude and encour-

appreciation for your help the day before.

tool in the arsenal of highly successful, pos-

agement can help others to succeed.

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Pinboard The Informal Florist

Fornasetti, the Milanese label, is named after the twentiethcentury painter and sculptor, and his artworks are featured on their ornate white ceramic jars. This one is decorated with a metallic-gold, white and black print of Italian operatic soprano and actress Lina Cavalieri, making it as much an objet d’art as a scented candle.

The hand-poured vegetable wax blend is infused with pink pepper, cypress, laurel, sandalwood and musk for a grown-up, heady scent.

Claire Ryan and Patsie Wrafter, the very talented ladies who operate The Informal Florist, specialise in floral design that is lush, unstructured and informally elegant. They use the best of what is in season and locally sourced. With a keen eye for design and a passion for styling beautiful flowers, they work with clients to create a cohesive floral look for weddings and other special occasions. One of Ireland’s most sought-after florists. www.theinformalflorist.com

Scáil

Parfumarija

A beautiful book showcasing the work of artist June McIntyre and poet Dairena Ní Chinnéide. One day, while chatting to Dairena, June mentioned her curious habit of appealing to the local ‘little people’ for guidance.

This gave them the idea to create this charming and inspirational book of art and poetry.

Available from www. dingleartworks.com

The perfume I was immediately drawn to in this beautiful shop was Grape Pearls by The House of Oud – and that was just because of the amazing bottle that fits in the palm of your hand. All the bottles are hand-painted, so each one is unique. The fragrance, a floral, fruity gourmand for women and men, is equally distinctive. Top notes are floral; middle notes are grape, rose and coffee; base notes are amber, vanilla and white musk. www.parfumarija.com

Fiona Turley, Gallery Crafts

We Give it a Whirl

Gallery Crafts in Kilworth, Co. Cork, is a destination store well worth a visit. Locals, tourists and day-trippers all come to enjoy a selection of beautifully designed crafts and stunning gifts produced by national and international designers and craft makers. Collections of amazing jewellery, impeccably stylish fashion accessories and unique home accessories are all to be found, together with original paintings on silk by Fiona Turley herself. Online at www.fionaturley.com

An Irish online lifestyle store with a carefully curated range of beautiful objects for the home and family. Good design and excellent craft pieces, selected by sisters Anne and Maureen Rice, are integral to the range at We Give it a Whirl. Chic lifestyle goodies for those seeking beautiful, unusual and decorative things for the home – from little pieces of art from Storytiles to stylish, contemporary, seasonal porcelain plates. Thoughtful and unique gift ideas from www.wegiveitawhirl.ie

CRAIG AND EVE SANDERS

Fornasetti Nuvola Mistero Scented Candle

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Sun Gardens Dubrovnik W

Five-star luxury on the Adriatic coast

ith its enviable seafront location and extraordinary gardens, Sun Gardens Dubrovnik offers a choice of modern accommodation, exclusive facilities and a unique experience of the beautiful Croatian coast. Replicating the ambience of a traditional Mediterranean setting, the resort offers a perfect getaway from daily life, allowing couples, families and groups of friends to relax and reconnect in an idyllic oasis. Consistently providing

a high-level of service, the resort recently became a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.

Understated elegance and supreme comfort characterise the spacious rooms, suites and residences, all of which offer exceptional amenities and boast amazing views from a private terrace or balcony.

Guests can explore a broad range of gastronomic delights in a choice of sixteen restaurants and bars, relax at the

award-winning spa or lounge beside three freshwater pools or on a private beach.

The resort also features a sports centre, amenities for children, modern conference facilities and a retail shopping area.

Situated in a stunning location only 11 km from the UNESCO inscribed Dubrovnik Old Town, it is also the perfect base from which to explore and enjoy everything the region has to offer, all year round. www.sungardensdubrovnik.com

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Waterford Castle

The historic past of a castle on a private island

but they came under frequent attack from others more interested in its strategic importance, and eventually the monks had to move to a safer haven. Two archaeological finds dating from this period, a crude carving of a monk’s head and a winged angel, are now prominently displayed over the main entrance to the castle.

From the ninth to the eleventh centuries, the Vikings stamped their mark on the The above: Built entirely out of stone, the east and west wings were added during the nineteenth century

T

Island, building two fortifications to guard he castle is located on a private

the river to the north and the south. Records

island in the River Suir, just down-

show that during this time The Island was

stream from Waterford, the oldest

referred to as Dane’s Island or Island Vryk.

city in Ireland. The 310-acre island, only a two-minute ferry ride from the mainland,

Fitzgerald family

has seen more than its fair share of inhab-

The first family to live on The Island were

itants over the centuries.

the Fitzgeralds. Maurice Fitzgerald, Earl

Monks are believed to have been the first

of Pembroke and a cousin of Richard

to inhabit The Island (6th–8th century).

‘Strongbow’ de Clare, was rewarded for

They were attracted by the site’s seclusion,

his part in the Norman invasion of 1170

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heritage

with large tracts of land, including The Island where he decided to make his home.

This sealed the fate of The Island for eight centuries in one of the longest unbroken stewardships on record in Ireland.

The first structure built by the Fitzgeralds was a Norman keep, a tower-like stone building with thick walls that also acted as a fortified post during battle. By the fifteenth century, the keep was no longer habitable and a tower was built in its place (it forms the centre part of the present castle). Initially the tower was relatively small, but it gradually expanded during the nineteenth century when the east and west wings were added. Built entirely out

above: The Great Hall is decorated with Elizabethan oak panelling. right: (above) Beautiful antique furniture adorns every room; (below) A carved stone feature

of stone, these additions are now almost indistinguishable from the older structure.

Over the centuries, the Fitzgeralds became Kings of Ireland in all but name, and hosted many feasts and banquets on The Island. Some of its more prominent members included: Mary Frances Fitzgerald (c.1775–1855)

A new era

A formidable lady who dominated the social

In 1958 Princess Caracciolo sold the prop-

scene of the time. She was engaged to the

erty, and it changed hands a number of

Duke of Wellington, ‘The Iron Duke’, who

times until 1987 when it was developed it

defeated Napoleon at Waterloo and later

into a luxurious hotel and country club.

became the British Prime Minister. She broke

The current owner, Seamus Walsh, a

off the engagement to marry her first cousin,

local man from Mullinavat, Co. Kilkenny,

John Purcell, who took the name Fitzgerald

purchased The Island in 2015 and, along

when Mary inherited her father’s estate.

with his family, has embraced the heritage of this historic island and beautiful castle.

Edward Fitzgerald (1809–1883) Son of Mary Fitzgerald, Edward was a poet and writer. He is best known as the translator of The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, a collection of poems originally written in Farsi by the Persian mathematician, astronomer and poet Omar Khayyám. Some critics maintain that the quality of Fitzgerald’s translation exceeds that of Khayyám’s original verse.

Mary Augusta de Lisle Purcell Fitzgerald (1908–1968) Mary Augusta the last of the Fitzgeralds to own the castle, ending the family’s eight hundred-year legacy. She married an Italian prince, Prince Caracciolo, whom she met while studying in Italy. On their return to Ireland, they made their home in Dublin, where

above: A Victorian Rococo gilt carved wood mirror hangs above the fireplace in the Fitzgerald Room. left: Reminders of The Island’s elegant past can be seen throughout the castle

she was a prominent patron of the arts.

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Belleek

Belleek Castle Hotel and Medieval Museum

A

unique property with an inter-

tique dealer to put towards a mortgage for

torium in the 1950s, but when the cost of

esting past, Belleek Castle Hotel,

the Hotel Revere and Candlelight Grill. The

upkeep proved too much they planned to

Ballina, County Mayo, lies in a

business thrived in Jersey, while Marshall’s

take advantage of the so called ‘Roof Tax’,

woodland on the banks of the River Moy.

passion for collecting antiques demanded

an Act that deemed a property without a

Paul Doran and Maya Nikolaeva operate

that he find a place to store them.

roof uninhabitable and, therefore, eligible

the boutique hotel and museum on the

for exemption from certain taxes. From

property, which Paul’s father, Marshall

History of Belleek Castle

Doran, bought in 1961.

The property was originally a country

destruction of thousands of historic sites

house built in 1831 for Sir Francis Arthur

in Ireland. Fortunately, before Mayo County

colourful character, with a career both as a

Knox-Gore (1803–1873), and designed

Council executed their plan, Marshall Doran

merchant marine officer and as a hotelier;

in the neo-gothic style by architect John

bought the castle for not more than £5,000.

he was also a collector and restorer of

Benjamin Keane. The estate remained in

antiques. Born in London and raised in

the Knox-Gore family until 1941, when it

began the monumental task of restoring

Bournemouth, Marshall stowed away on

was sold to the Beckett family of Ballina.

the former manor house and converting

a ship bound for America when he was

Jacob Francis Beckett had planned to turn

it into a hotel and medieval museum. He

sixteen. It was the first of countless ocean

the estate into a race course and stud farm

worked alongside stonemasons, and taught

voyages around the world until 1952, when

but died before he could realise his dream.

his tradesmen proper adze technique and

he settled in Jersey. There, he used the cash

It was then sold to Mayo County Council.

how to use a drawknife to age and fashion

Marshall Doran (1916–2007) was a

he had earned as a sailor, smuggler and an-

The Council used the castle as a sana-

the late 1950s, this Act alone caused the

When Marshall bought Belleek Castle he

wood in the medieval style. Marshall never

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– Henry Ford HERITAGE

lost his love for the sea. Many of his archi-

collections of antiques, Jurassic fossils, me-

Japanese Samurai armour and katana

tectural works carried a nautical theme,

dieval weapons and armour in Ireland.

swords, Persian axes and Spanish rapiers,

including the bar at Belleek Castle which

There is a wide range of Jurassic fossils

he modelled on the captain’s quarters of

in the collection, including ammonites, gi-

katar daggers from India. There are several

a Spanish galleon. The bar was built out

ant shark teeth and skeletons of dinosaurs

full sets of armour dating from as early as

of salvaged timber from the wreck of a

such as Ichthyosaurus, one of which still

the sixteenth century, such as that used

ship in the Spanish Armada fleet that had

has a baby still in its womb. There are also

for jousting, and there’s a fine collection of

floundered in Killala Bay in 1588.

items from the Ice Age such as Woolly

helmets – a pig-faced bascinet from the

Mammoth tusks and teeth, which were

fourteenth century, Spanish morions, and

recovered by divers from the North Sea.

many Italian and German visor helmets

The Marshall Doran Collection

seventeenth-century pata swords, and

The Belleek Castle tour includes the story

The medieval armoury collection is

of the origins of the castle and the history

second to none, and visitors are able to

of its former owners. Visitors learn about

handle some of the weapons and experi-

the bed of Grace O’Malley, the Pirate Queen,

the life of Marshall Doran, and can see the

ence a little of what it might have felt like

which was bought from Westport House,

private dining rooms decorated in the opu-

to use them. The armoury contains a wide

and the last wolf shot in Connaught.

lent romantic style, as well as the Medieval

range of medieval weapons from around

Banquet Hall, the Spanish Armada Bar and

the world, including sixteenth-century

Guided tours are available daily from

Tween Deck. The highlight of the tour is the

Scottish broadswords and claymores,

11am till 4pm. For information on the

Marshall Doran Collection, one of the finest

seventeenth-century Flemish crossbows,

tour, visit www.belleekcastle.com

from the sixteenth century.

The visitor can also see curiosities such as

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TRULLI SPECTACULAR

words and photos orna o ’ reilly weber

The characteristic cone-roofed houses of Puglia are just one reason to visit this beautiful area in southern Italy

P

uglia is a long, narrow region running

and covered in olive groves, and ends at

The rolling Itrian Valley is criss-crossed

north of the hilly Gargano peninsula

Santa Maria di Leuca where the Adriatic

with dry-stone walls and narrow, winding

all the way down to the ‘stiletto heel’

and Ionian seas meet.

roads. Dotting its verdant landscape are

of Italy’s iconic boot. This includes the

Directly to the north of the Salento

strange, round, stone-built houses with cone-shaped roofs. These little houses are

Salento, famous for its stunning beaches,

peninsula is the tranquil Itrian Valley, situ-

which comprises most of the ‘stiletto’,

ated on a limestone plateau known as the

called trulli. A trullo (singular) is a tradition-

beginning around Ostuni to the east and

Murgia. The main towns are Cisternino,

al dwelling made of limestone in a style of

Taranto to the west. Not much more than

Alberobello, Locorotondo, Ostuni, Martina

architecture unique to Puglia, and to the

50kms wide, this pretty peninsula is flat

Franca and Ceglie Messapica.

valley area in particular.

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travel

summer when temperatures soar. So they

storing water below ground (on the Murgia

make ideal summer homes, and they’ve

plateau, the winter rainfall drains into

become popular with northern Europeans

fissures between the layers of limestone

who have flocked south to buy and restore

and there is no surface water). The cone-

them. However, the new owners must

shaped roofs are topped with hand-crafted

follow strict guidelines regarding their res-

ball-shaped pinnacles. No mortar is used.

toration as they are protected by UNESCO World Heritage regulations.

A trullo is built using a prehistoric

The story goes that trulli were originally built in this mortar-free fashion so they could be quickly and easily dismantled

technique in which small stones are laid

by pulling out a few keystones from the

on top of one another, forming thick walls

roof. This was especially important when

and a roof. The stones were originally dug

the tax collector was on his way: by the

up when the owner excavated a cistern for

time he arrived, the little houses would be nothing but a pile of rubble.

‘It’s lovely to see the jaunty peaked roofs of these quaint homes peeping out from among the endless olive groves and vineyards.’

Trulli are built either singly or in clusters.

Under each cone is one room. A multi-coned dwelling would therefore have several rooms. Heat is provided by an open fireplace; originally, alcoves in the walls for sleeping were separated off by curtains.

On visiting Puglia, the first thing most people want to do is visit the town of Alberobello where 1,500 trulli can be seen clustered together. In and around Alberobello, many of the trulli have symbols painted on their cones. These were added after the town was restored over the last fifty years, and they have various meanings, both religious and celestial. The trulli here date from the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Owners must follow strict restoration guidelines, as trulli are protected by UNESCO World Heritage regulations

It’s lovely to see the jaunty peaked roofs of these quaint homes peeping out

A view of the trulli cone-shaped rooftops

Many derelict trulli can be seen throughout the countryside

from among the endless olive groves and vineyards. There are many derelict trulli to be seen throughout the countryside, alongside the magnificently restored ones that are now used as holiday homes and rentals.

Trulli are notoriously difficult to heat during winter weather but are cool in ANTHOLOGY WINTER 2017 95

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PUGLIA for foodies

Puglia, one of Europe’s great agricultural areas in southern Italy, is packed with wonderful local delicacies, making it easy to acquire a taste for the region and its food.

Mussels: the region is famous for its fresh seafood

words and photos orna o ’ reilly weber

urrounded by the Ionian and Adriatic

S

Visiting the supermarket or pescheria

seas, Puglia, in the southern ‘heel’ of

(fish shop) is always a pleasure. The fact

Italy, is a region rich in culinary varie-

that Puglia is almost completely surrounded

ty. Being the largest olive-growing area in

by water means that the fish is so fresh it’s

Italy and taking second place behind the

almost leaping out of the display cabinets.

Veneto for its viniculture, the emphasis on food and wine is exceptionally strong.

Quite apart from olives and grapes,

The cheese counter is, likewise, a lavish affair with a dizzying assortment to choose from. And who can walk past a container of

typically sliced very thinly and served as a delicious appetiser.

Here are a few of the most popular local dishes: Polpette (meat balls) are a great favourite, and are often made with bread in the style of la cucina povera – poor man’s kitchen.

Bombette are slices of seasoned pork

melons, artichokes, tomatoes, figs, almonds,

creamy burrata? Mainly served with brus-

wrapped around cheese and cooked on a

aubergines, cherries and wheat, just to men-

chette, burrata (or burratina) is also used

grill. They are often served as ‘street food’ in a

tion some of the produce grown there, you

on top of pasta, where it melts enticingly

bread roll, and are popular in the Itrian Valley.

will also find popular local staples such as

down the sides, like snow melting on a roof.

cime di rape (turnip tops) and cicorie (chicory), which are part of the everyday diet.

Mild winters, with their early-morning

On the high plateau known as the

Cime di rape with orecchiette (little ears) pasta is extremely popular too. For

Murgia, north of the White City of Ostuni,

me it needs quite a hefty sprinkle of par-

cows and sheep graze happily and pigs

migiano (parmesan cheese).

Most restaurants in Puglia have a choice

sea mists, hot breezy summers, and rich,

are carefully reared. At the lower end

red soil come together to create perfect

of this limestone plateau lies the Itrian

of meat or fish, depending on whether you

growing conditions. The local fruit and

Valley, which is famous for its Capocollo di

are up in the hills or down on the coast.

vegetable shops and markets are bursting

Martina Franca, named after the highest

Fish is high on most menus, while in

at the seams with wholesome, freshly

town on the Murgia. Capocollois a tradi-

the hills that comprise the Murgia plateau

picked fare. In Puglia there’s no problem

tional dry-cured cold cut made from neck

meat is mostly on offer. For something

getting your five-a-day!

of pork. (Collo means neck in Italian.) It’s

unusual try eating at a braceria. These are

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very popular in the Cisternino area of the

including ravioli with a variety of fillings

menus, is sporcamuss (dirty face). This is a

Itrian Valley, where you pick out your own

and sauces. You will also see typical dishes

creamy, custard-filled millefoglie. I imagine

meat and have it cooked and served at

such as fave e cicorie (broad bean purée

it’s nicknamed sporcamuss because it’s

your table or prepared to take away.

with chicory; see recipe on the next page).

difficult to eat it without covering your

Secondo will comprise meat and/or fish

face in powdered sugar!

The menu

dishes. Keep an eye out for Tiella Barese.

Beginning with the antipasti (appetis-

This delicious dish of potatoes, mussels

ers) on every menu, the variety is often

and rice is usually cooked in a terracotta

mind-boggling. In many of the local restau-

pot under the hot ashes of a wood fire

Salice Salentino and Primitivo. Both very

rants, the ‘house’ antipasti is so extensive

(see recipe on the next page). Another

popular reds, they are by no means the

and multi-layered that it’s sometimes

popular dish is braciola. This comprises

only wines to enjoy.

difficult to find room for a primi and a sec-

small pieces of beef, rolled and cooked in

ondo (starter and main course), let alone a

a sauce, usually tomato. Grigliata di Pesce

much stronger and more full-bodied than

delicious dolce (dessert).

Spada (grilled swordfish) is delicious.

the rosé from further north. Look out for

Antipasti such as crispy polpette, capo-

Order contorni (side dishes) to go with

Wines

On every wine list in Puglia you will see

Rosato is very popular in Puglia, and is

rosato made from Bombino nero, Malvasia

collo, grilled vegetables, deep fried zucchi-

the second course. You will find patate

or Negroamaro grapes. These rosato wines

ni flowers, mussels, and calamari, to name

fritte (chips), verdure grigliate (grilled veg-

are perfect paired with the local foods.

but a few, are available on most menus.

etables) and much more on the menu.

Primi usually consists of a variety of

Dolce brings out the creative side of

soups, pasta and rice dishes. The pasta

most Pugliese chefs and there are far too

you see on every menu will be either

many to discuss here. The most popular

orecchiette or cavatelli, plus many others,

dessert, and the one you will see on many

Tomato, mozzarella and basil bruschette

Dolce: Chocolate fondant and orange ice-cream

If you are looking for white wine, try some Fiano, Moscato Secco, Verdeca or Chardonnay. All are excellent.

For a true Mediterranean diet and culinary holiday, look no further than Puglia.

Primi: green pasta

Antipasti: Deep-fried zucchini flowers

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Two typical

Pugliese recipes The wholesome cuisine of the Italian region of Puglia is based on simple recipes passed down through the generations.

Tiella Barese: Patate, cozze e riso (Potatoes, mussels and rice) Serves 4 Ingredients: 600g potatoes 180g Arborio rice 1 onion 150g cherry tomatoes 300 g black mussels 300g zucchini, sliced in rounds. (Courgettes) Parsley Pecorino cheese, grated, to taste.

Fave e cicorie alla Pugliese (Fave beans with chicory, Puglia style)

Extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper.

Serves 4 Method: Using a heavy casserole dish with a lid, preferably terracotta, place a layer of finely chopped onion, olive oil, tomatoes, pepper and salt.

Next, place a layer of thinly sliced zucchini on top.

Place a layer of thinly sliced potatoes, followed by a layer of mussels in their half shell.

Sprinkle rice into each shell.

Season with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place another layer of potatoes, olive oil, pepper, pecorino cheese and top with cherry tomatoes.

Add water or a little wine to fill to just below the top of the last layer.

Ingredients: 300g dried fava beans 100g potatoes 1 bunch chicory (or florets of broccoli would work as a substitute).

Extra virgin olive oil, salt.

Method: Soak the beans overnight, for at least 12 hours Rinse well and add the diced potatoes, olive oil, pinch of salt, cook on a low heat for about two hours until completely soft.

Blend the mixture of potatoes and fava beans until it becomes a smooth puree.

Bake in the oven at 180 degrees centigrade for at least one hour.

Lightly steam or boil the chicory, drain, season and serve with the puree of fava beans and potato. Drizzle with olive oil.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley when serving.

Serve with a few slices of crispy bread.

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