Decorative - 18th Century Architectural Details

Putto who seems to melt into the wall painting*

I love taking photos and I always envied my photographer friends for their telephotos. It was only some months ago when my husband surprised me – he loves surprising me very much – with a new telephoto. Very typical for him he said, “Well it is not the very best. But it may help you with the food photos.” It still was a giant leap working with the so called “modest” telephoto (s. the photos I did for a ballet school with shop) and even helped enormously when there was not light enough. Some months later: I have got the best of all telephotos!

These two decorative gilt shells (s. photo above) with winding center, very typical in baroque sculpture and painting, measure about 12-14 cm in height. As chief motive of a photo they do not only look beautiful, even breathtaking, one can feel how important the small things were for artists and craftsmen of this era.

Two others (s. photos above) of these small art works, they are part of socles. Very interesting detail on the decorative piece on the right: the left lower part is in relation to the right lower part much larger. The pieces were handmade, carved, and this could happen. Or: one craftsman began the decorative element and another finished it. This is why it looks in our days a little bit unbalanced.

Part of the ceiling (s. photo above) – the stucchi and the light colors of the wall, a light pink apricot and a light blue, both symbolizing the early evening lights in summer. The stucchi also cover the walls. See another part on the photo below and the frame of a crucification scene with instruments of Christ´s torture. This is also very typical in 18th century art that painting and frame cover the same theme.

Now that I own a super telephoto I have to learn a lot. Luckily help is in sight as there will be some lessons with a professional photographer. Even as I am not quite sure to handle everything right I am very happy as the photos look better. I took them in a church and concentrated on details. I was so excited when watching the photos on the laptop screen as one really can see the smallest details. Work in progress …

Decorative elements on another socle.

*Illusions and 3D-effects in paintings are very typical for the baroque era (17th – 18th century).