The Butterfly's Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast

As I've stated many times, I absolutely love researching the historical details that place characters in their own time.  My WIP, The Gardener's Daughter, begins with the two main characters as children.  In order to flesh them out I researched books and games children would have played in the Georgian era.  While frolicking across the Web, I came across an enchanting book first published in the November issue of the Gentleman's Magazine of 1766.  The poem  is believed to be written by William Roscoe in honor of his son Robert's birthday.

The Butterfly's Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast by William Roscoe

The rhyming poem describes a whimsical ball attended by insects and creatures who gather for a night of music, dancing, and merry-making.  A mirror  of the London ton, the story adds whimsical character to those attending the festivities. 

Sir George Smart set music to the rhyming story at the request of King George III and  Queen Charlotte for the delight of their daughters Elizabeth, Augusta, and Mary.  The princesses performed the musical during a holiday at Weymouth. 

A series of little books measuring just 5 by 4 inches were published throughout the latter part of the 1700s and in to the early part of the 1800s.  The small books were written by various authors, some lost to the years.  One series, Harriet's Cabinet began with the Butterfly's Ball published in 1807 and followed by The Peacock at Home, 

The Elephant's Ball by W. B. (it is unknown who the initials refer to)

 

 and  The Lion's Masquerade by Catherine Ann Turner Dorset

 An updated version of the Butterfly's Ball and Grasshopper's Feast won the Whitbread Children's Book of the Year award in 1973 with colorful illustrations by Alan Aldridge. 

May you enjoy each of these sweet tales as much as I did. 

Henri Boutet & His Ladies of Paris

Last week I discovered the world of Henri Boutet, a French artist.  Born in Saint Hermine March 21, 1851, he became a renown as le petit maitre au corset or the master of the corset.  A nickname given to him because of his penchant for painting the ladies of Paris, from charming shop keepers to the sophisticated femme élégante.

Boutet's work embodies the genre "la parisienne"  using etching, drypoint, and engraving.

The illustration above is part of a book,  Autourd'Elles,  that Henri Boutet published in 1899.  The book showcases women going about their days with titles such as Lunch, Flowers, the Earring, and Sleep. 

 
 He limited his early editions to twenty until he discovered the "eau-fort synthetique" technique, which simulated the more expensive ways of printing for less money.  Now he could market to a wider audience that appreciated his talents.  Besides wandering the streets, cafes, and public places of Paris searching for subjects to capture, Boutet illustrated for magazines, almanacs, and even restaurant menus.  A search will turn up a veritable bevy of wonderful artwork.    

In 1902 the now successful illustrator created a two volume book chronicling 19th Century Parisienne fashion.  He used dry point etching and hand colored the plates creating a soft watercolor look.  His attention to detail displays his fondness for his feminine subjects.  The book, Les Modes Feminines du XIX siecle, is a dreamy drift into the fashion of days gone by.  He limited the original collection of 100 fashions to just 600.   

I hope you enjoy Henri Boutet's Paris ladies of the early 19th century all from Les  Modes Feminines du XIX Siecle. 

    

 

Henri Boutet, considered an 'artist reporter' of La Belle Epoque, captured the essence of feminine through his Paris ladies simply going about life. He died in 1919 leaving behind a library of images for future generations to take delight in.   You can find 105 images from Les Modes Feminines du XIX Siecle on The New York Public Library Digital Gallery site.

I decided to stick to the illustrations of the early 19th century and the next ten images will be in the next post.  Please feel free to Pin or download the images.  I believe them to be in the Public Domain.

Valentine's Day

 

Romancing the Research

It's been so long since I've been about.  Shameful, indeed!  Where have I been?  Cruising the information highway for answers to a thousand questions.  Like? Well, since you asked...

1.  How large is the typical country estate of a Regency noble?
2.  What did the homes look like inside?
3.  What grew in the garden?
4.  How long did it take to get from York to London by horse?  By carriage?
5.  How many servants did a typical household employ?
6.  What is the etymology of certain words like...buffoon, fop, dandy.
7.  What garden structures were likely to be in gardens/parks/lawns of the Regency nobility?
8.  What if no heirs were born to a noble?  Who inherited the title?
9.  Could the widow of a noble be left with nothing?
10. What were people naming their children in the late 1700s and early 1800s?

The list goes on and on.  I've found wonderful resources for some of the questions I must answer to make my story both accurate and worth reading.  One of the best resources I've found is Jane Austen's World, a blog that is chock full of tantalizing bits about the Regency Era.  I also found Candice Hern's website to be extremely helpful.  She offers more resources that I know will answer my questions. 

I must make a trip to the library, soon.  I'm hoping to find answers to the questions regarding the Regency time period that will enhance my book. 

Where do you go for answers to historical questions?  Do you have a go-to source?  I'd love to know!

Happy Writing!