After several frustrating months of trying to grow my natural hair color out, I finally said "Good riddance!" and I dyed my hair red today. Now I am visualizing long, flowing tresses ala Leonardo or Botticelli's Renaissance portraits...
I would love to own this book:
I would love to own this book:
Virtue and Beauty: Leonardo's Ginevra de' Benci and Renaissance Portraits of Women.
Many painters have exhibited a fascination with red hair. The colour "titian" takes its name from Titian, who often painted women with red hair. Early Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli's famous painting The Birth of Venus depicts the mythological goddess Venus as a redhead [Wikipedia].
Birth of Venus by Botticelli (left, above)
These photos are from an opulent editorial in Chinese Vogue [2007], and were inspired by Renaissance beauty -- I've tried to pair the photos with Renaissance paintings that have a similar vibe...
Woman with Mirror by Titian
Many painters have exhibited a fascination with red hair. The colour "titian" takes its name from Titian, who often painted women with red hair. Early Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli's famous painting The Birth of Venus depicts the mythological goddess Venus as a redhead [Wikipedia].
These photos are from an opulent editorial in Chinese Vogue [2007], and were inspired by Renaissance beauty -- I've tried to pair the photos with Renaissance paintings that have a similar vibe...
Woman with Mirror by Titian
Portrait of a Lady [c. early 1600's] (above)
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth (left)
St. Mary Magdalene
Portrait of a Young Woman by Moretto da Brescia ca. 1540
[Magazine: Vogue China January 2007
Photographer: Pierluigi Maco
Model: Vlada Roslyakova]
St. Mary Magdalene
Portrait of a Young Woman by Moretto da Brescia ca. 1540
[Magazine: Vogue China January 2007
Photographer: Pierluigi Maco
Model: Vlada Roslyakova]
15 comments:
You might be interested in the book "The Roots of Desire," if you haven't checked it out already. It explores the way red hair is portrayed in art, culture, society, etc. throughout various eras. I will admit, I didn't find it as enjoyable as "On Blondes," but it may be worth pursuing!
I have always thought red hair to be gorgeous! In my eyes, a red head always stands out (in a good way) and hardly goes unnoticed.
The Guardian did a fantastic article about redheads: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/24/gingerism-ginger-prejudice
Complete with lovely pics!
Oh, you're so lucky to be a natural redhead! I've always wanted to be one, but it's pretty much impossible for me to fake it since I'm so dark. Those pictures are very pretty (but one of your hair wouldn't be a bad thing, either - I'm so curious to see how it turned out!).
Ps: Thanks for the tag, by the way (it's actually my first one)!
ashe -- thanks so much for the tip on the book; I'm always on the lookout for great books!
carlita-- I think so too!! I hope that is the case with me!
ana -- Cool! thanks so much for the link!!
airam -- Oh, I'm not a natural redhead -- I dyed it! Wish I were!! My natural color is light brown. I will post pics ASAP!
Fantastic! I've always loved red hair, but am honey blond myself.. Great paintings :)
Have a nice week-end!
xxx
Fascinating post !
Italian women used to put a weird mixture in their hair and expose themselves under the sun to have their hair dyed in this colour.
I`m working on a memoir about fashion's constrains, from the Renaissance to the 50's !
I had a sorority sister in college who had long, impossibly wavy red hair like a Renaissance princess. She wouldn't dream of cutting it, but that much hair is a lot to take care of.
i love your blog:)
p.s. you've been tagged!
xox
Hi! I've just given your blog an award in today's post! ;)
xxx
Love this collection of pictures! I just dyed my hair red last night, but you can't really even tell. Oh well, I guess I'll just try again. My natural hair color is really close to red, but not exactly red. Sigh.
Oh, and love the blog :]
madeleine -- thanks so much dear!
pandora -- Louise! I would love to read your memoir when you are done!!
emily -- I'm sure everyone was quite jealous of her locks!
asherette -- thanks for the tag dear!!
Casey -- thanks so much for your comment! I am heading over to your blog right now...
Great post Tara! I've always loved red hair and I already tried to be a redhaired, but I think it didn't match well (I mean natural)!
This editorial of Vogue China is amazing, wish I could take photos in places like these! And I love the combination of fashion and painting!
Gorgeous images!! Wish I had hair like these. I've always been fascinated by red hair. I'll probably never change my hair colour, but if I ever do, I'll dye it red.
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