Dorelle - South of the Equator

Victoria Falls

This week's post is something very different to my usual offerings but I feel it qualifies as these images are a vivid childhood memory.  They are taken from place-mats that were originally in my grandmother's home.  Each is clearly signed with the name Dorelle, but I know nothing about the artist.  As a child I was fascinated by these paintings that appeared more like French fashion plates than images of Africa.  I loved the texture and colours of the material - the flowing liquid quality of the women's silk dresses.

     

Durban

As these place mats are still in use in my own home today I wanted to scan them while they are in reasonably good condition.  They are printed on metal (tin?) over a cork base.  In time they are becoming scratched and discoloured.  There are 2 of each picture (12 place settings and 4 for serving dishes) and I have tried to choose the best example from each pair.

  

Port Elizabeth

 As I've worked in the IT industry now for almost 25 years I sometimes forget that I started out as an historian.  I can boast an Honour's degree in History which I taught in a girl's high school for 4 years before embarking on a completely new career.  I still have an instinctive impulse to collect, preserve and protect.  Part of the reason I started this blog was to record and safeguard images that I have cherished since childhood.  It offers a means of ensuring they survive as well as providing an opportunity to share them with anyone else who may also enjoy looking at them. 





Cape Town



Cape Town 



Pretoria



Johannesburg



As these place mats originally came from my grandmother's home I wanted to include a picture of her as part of this post.  At the moment all my all old photographs are packed away in storage so as an alternative I'm including a drawing I made many years ago from an old photograph of my grandmother as a child. I think she was born in 1909 and was about 6 years old when the original photograph was taken.



Constance Marion Cole



 

Tomorrow's Treasures

Recently I went to see the new Matisse exhibition at the Chester Beatty Library at Dublin Castle.  It is more of a museum than a library and is a fascinating place to visit.  I go there quite often during lunch time, especially if the weather is dull.  I always pop into the little shop and have a soft spot for these pop-up greeting cards.  Usually I buy them to give away but this time I bought one for myself!

There is a tab that allows the central ballerina to twirl from left to right that is really cute. Different messages can be inserted underneath one of the roses and the attention to detail is lovely.  The prima-ballerina also has a delicate piece of tulle on her skirt and 'gems' around her waist and in her hair.  I think this is something worth saving and it is a wonderful example of what can be created from the classically simple medium of paper and card.