DAMASK

This week Shel of Pics by Shel challenged us at Inspiration Avenue Team to create something with Damask.


 Damask is a very particular type of weaving used by the Damasks (those who lived in the city of Damascus) in the Byzantine times and before.

These damask papers that I used are flocked with velvet

and who better to accompany this outrageous beauty, than Marie Antoinette?

I created another Marie Antoinette paper doll with her outrageous hairstyle

and set her amongst two contrasting borders of damask

and here I embossed a single replica of a damask pattern with gold powder!

Just a few words about Marie Antoinette : Marie Antoinette was Queen of France and Archduchess of Austria. She is often quoted for saying 'give them bread to eat'.  These were indeed her words, but they are quoted completely out of context.  She did not say these words about the starving population of France under her husband's rule.  In fact, she said these words three years before she knew and was married to the King of France.

According to history she tried to intervene with her husband for the poor state of the people. The following quotes give a much deeper insight into her psyche.  Maybe she was a victim of her society, her culture and the time that she was born into.

We had a beautiful dream and that was all ... I could not have any pleasure in the world if I abandoned my children.  (This she said when she was given the opportunity to abandon her husband and children and save her own life.  Instead she chose to stay.)

Courage!  The moment when my ills are going to end is not the moment when courage is going to fail me.  (This she said when facing the guillotine the following day)

I have seen it all;  I have heard all;  I have forgotten all.

Marie Antoinette