#fairy tales salon

[adarkrainbow]

The art of Perrault (2)

Continuing from this post, there is another segment of the article which is absolutely delightful: the one about the "Fairy tale salon" of Jean Veber

Because Perrault didn't just inspire paintings and drawings - furniture too!

In the beginning of the 20th century, Jean Veber (a student of both Alexandre Cabanel and Robert Delaunay) was doing a lot of fairy-themed expositions, and when he was asked by Rosemonde Gérard (the wife of Edmond Rostand) to create her "boudoir" at their Arnaga villa (Cambo, Pays Basque), he chose "fairy tales" as his theme. He notably composed there beautiful wall paintings that attracted the attention of both Léon Bérard (under-secretary of state of the Beaux-Arts) and Gustave Geffroy, the administrator of the Gobelins Manufacture.

(Here is a Sleeping Beauty mural):

In 1912, Gustave Geffroy paid Veber to create an entire salon themed after Charles Perrault's fairy tales - tapestries and various sitting-furnitures. The plans for the salon were originally ambitious, but it was restricted due to limited money - else we would have had five tapestries and thirteen furnitures, including a bed, and many more "chairs" of various models (chaise, fauteuil, bergères). Instead, the "Contes de fées" salon gathers three tapestries, four armchairs, four regular chairs, a sofa, and a fireplace screen - now all preserved in the Mobilier national collection. (The two additional tapestries would have been Puss in Boots and Donkey Skin)

(Here's the Puss in Boots armchair)

(And the Bluebeard sofa)

After the newspapers mediatized madame Rostand's boudoir in the beginning of the 1910s, the Gobelins immediately asked Veber painted preparations of the Sleeping Beauty and Little Thumbling tapestries. In the 1914 he was commissioned the drawings for the various chairs by the Beauvais manufactury - specialized in chair tapestry. The project was interrupted by the First World war, but it began agan in 1919, year where the drawing for the Bluebeard sofa was made. The project got faster by the 1920s, thanks to the collaboration of the cabinet-maker Paul Follot. The entirety of the furniture was delivered by the end of 1922, after the Little Thumbling and Sleeping Beauties tapestries had been completed (1919-1920). The Cinderella tapestry (prepared by 1919) and the Beauty and the Beast screen won't be woven until 1923 and 1926.

(Sleeping Beauty silk-and-wool weavework)

The aesthetic of Veber's paintings evoke the paintings that cover the walls of the Arnaga villa: frize disposition and very colorful.

(Preparation work for the Cinderella tapestry)

These creations appeared half-a-century after Gustave Doré's illustrations, and in many ways oppose them. Here we have a sentimental, idealized, almost childish view of Perrault's story. Everything is light-hearted and funny, and the terror of the tales is removed - even the most frightening characters are merely grotesque. This is due to how, in this era, fairytales had been massively shared and spread as children literature, as well as to the nature of Veber's commission: indeed, the creation of a salon requires a peaceful and comforting ambiance, where someone can rest. He can't possibly put Doré images in there. After the First World War, this literary theme allows one to find back a sort of lightness - the tapestries of Beauvais being in harmony with the walnut-wood furniture, all golden and in curvy shapes.

(Beauty and the Beast fireplace screen)

Far from doing a "composition monotony", Veber makes sure each of the tapestries has been conceived in a different way, to offer a large palette of movement and dynamics. For Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella he chose specific moments of the tale. In the first, we have the prince charming rushing to the side of his beloved, in the middle of a thick vegetation filled with asleep characters. In the second, we see Cinderella fleeing the ball, her rushing carriage preventing the prince from stopping her. However, for Little Thumbling several key moments of the tale are presented side-by-side, so that in one glance the whole story is offered in a condensed version.

(Little Thumbling silk-and-wool weavework)

The "Contes de fées" salon of Veber is another example of the universality of Perrault, which can extend further beyond the world of the page, and into the decoration of walls and furnitures. The originality of this project seduced people at the time, and the Beauvais manufecture immediately demanded a new work from the artist: an "Animals in the forest" project for which he created four chairs, three armchairs and a screen. Delivered in 1925, this set can be considered a continuation of his "Fairy tales" salon.

(Armchair of the Foxes)

[maplebellsmods]

Hello! Here are the new traits that I have been working on. I have made 15 new CAS Traits 

How does this work?

Just like you would add any other CAS trait for your Sims. For reference, you can look at the photo and these are all the traits you would find in the game. These are compatible with all of my other previous traits.

Depending on what trait you use sims with the traits or sims around the sim with these traits can have certain reactions. It's just like how the traits work in general. 

Gamer: These Sims gain significant happiness and stress relief from playing video games, may become tense if they haven't gamed for a while, and excel in tech-related careers.

Romantic Idealist: These Sims dream of grand romantic gestures and true love, often getting mood boosts from romantic interactions but may become sad if their love life doesn't meet their lofty expectations.

Cuddle Bug: These Sims love giving and receiving hugs, gaining positive moodlets from cuddling with loved ones and pets.

Fairy-Tale Fanatic: These Sims are obsessed with fairy tales, feeling happy when reading or discussing them and often aspire to live out their own fairy-tale romance or adventure.

Baker: These Sims find joy and comfort in baking, experiencing mood improvements when making and eating baked goods.

Memory Keeper: These Sims cherish memories more than most, often reminiscing about past events, which can significantly affect their mood.

Vintage Lover: These Sims have a passion for all things vintage, gaining happiness from wearing vintage clothes and decorating their homes with retro items.

Home Chef: These Sims love cooking at home and experimenting with recipes, gaining positive moodlets from cooking meals for others.

Body Conscious: These Sims are often critical of their body, frequently feeling insecure and may seek validation or comfort from others regarding their appearance.

Love-Struck: These Sims easily fall in love, often feeling elated in romantic relationships but may experience deeper sadness from breakups.

Monogamous: These Sims prefer deep, committed relationships, gaining substantial mood boosts from stable relationships but may feel insecure with casual romances.

Heartbreaker: These Sims find it easy to start and end relationships, gaining confidence from romantic conquests but potentially leaving a trail of broken hearts.

Natural Beauty: These Sims are confident in their natural appearance, often receiving compliments and feeling happy without makeup or styling.

Elegantly Aged: These Sims age gracefully, often receiving compliments on their mature beauty and feeling confident in later life stages.

Body Positive: These Sims love their body in all its forms, often inspiring others to feel the same and rarely feeling insecure about their physique.

Hairstyle Hobbyist: These Sims love experimenting with their hair, feeling happiest and most confident after a visit to the salon or trying a new hairstyle at home.

Unkempt: These Sims don't prioritize grooming, often feeling indifferent to their messy appearance but may occasionally feel embarrassed in social situations.

Age Insecure: These Sims struggle with aging, often feeling sad or anxious about getting older and may seek rejuvenation through various means.

What else do I need for the mod?

The Mood Pack (If your UI disappears or there are UI issues after you play an animation with a mod it is because the Mood Pack isn't properly installed or installed at all. Please make sure you make note of this.)

Does this mod require any DLC?

The mod is BGC. The traits do tap into each pack so having them will create a more full experience. Not required though.

Questions and concerns you might have?

If you have one send it here: Trait Requests

Report it here: Mod Bug Report

How to install the mod?

You can choose to download whichever trait you want from the downloads below OR you can download the zip file "Maplebell More CAS Traits #3" If there are also traits you do not want then you can delete them from the folder.

Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods <--- Unzip the file and make sure it's placed in this path.

Download Here

Public: March 21

[diyasgarden]

Art x hairdresser!reader where their first encounter ends up with her messing up the haircut, wanting to cry every time she sees his face on the TV cause, yeah, SHE gave him that atrocious haircut :( but he comes back two months later anyway, asking to have his hair cut specifically by HER!!!

OH OH OHHHHH. Referencing this post

When he came in you were so in awe of his hair. Beautiful blonde curls which seem like they belong in some fairy tale not in real life. It wasn't that you hadn't seen curls like that before, but it was rare to see it on someone of his age and in that shade.

When he sits down in the seat, he smiles at you from the mirror, and he really does look like prince charming come to life. Then he tells you he wants something short, naturally you're confused. Such beautiful curls and he wants them gone? Regardless, it's not like you can tell him no. He's the customer. He asked for a haircut, and you're going to give him that. But it doesn't mean you're not allowed to ask questions.

"Are you sure you want it short?" You ask as you take the scissors and begin to snip.

"Mhm" He seemed like a man of few words.

"You're sure?" You probe once more.

He lets out a little strained laugh and asks, "Is there a reason why you keep asking?" He doesn't sound mean, but simply confused. You assume you probably weirded him out.

"Oh it's just..." How do you phrase this without sounding like a complete and utter weirdo? "Your curls are very pretty"

He smiles at this with a little nod. "I need it a little shorter for tennis." Oh well you weren't expecting that. You both start talking about that now. How his tennis career is taken off and that he wants a bit shorter for when he plays. You even ask couple questions about the color (completely natural he swears, you believe him).

If you weren't so immersed in the conversation, you may have realized that you cut off way too much. Once you put the scissors down and step back you see it's much shorter. It's not bad but...it's certainly a look.

You assume he is going to hate it, "I'm so..." Your voice trails off before you can even finish the statement.

Art just stands up assuming you're done and looks in the mirror with a little nod. "Cool, thanks." He pops some money in the tip jar and walks away.

You realize he wasn't lying about being an upcoming tennis player because you start to see him on the television. Every time you feel that haircut you imagine all the curls you completely destroyed. A weird pit in your stomach anytime you think about how you should have paid more attention to his hair during the haircut. You see that it is growing, which is relieving (although not surprising, considering the fact that he has wonderful hair). You even end up keeping track of him online, just to make sure his hair is growing back fine you tell yourself. It makes you feel less terrible about the hair cut.

Finally, nearly two months later, you see the little curls of his hair rest on his forehead as you watch a video of him playing. It is like a weight has been lifted off your chest.

It's a short lived sense of relief. You feel it all come crashing down back on you, when he walks into the salon couple days later asking for the same hair cut.

[eternal--returned]

Alphonse Mucha ֍ At the sight of the two storks the owl rose (1891)

Mucha produced 45 text illustrations and 10 full page illustrations for Xavier Marmier's book of fairy tales, Les Contes des Grand-mères.

The publisher, Librairie Furne, Jouvet et Cie, were so impressed by the illustrations that he decided to submit them for exhibition at the Paris Salon. To Mucha's surprise and delight, they received an honourable mention.

[rachelbethhines]

Mobius Timeline (1st Era)

3232 CE

Antoine = 15

Bunnie = 13

Rotor = 13

Sally = 12

Sonic = 12

Tails = 5

Don’t Cry for me Mobius! - Sonic miniseries #0 (first adventure)

Sonic’s Six* Speed Settings -Sonic #0 (Sonic makes a vlog about his speed)

The Royal Family Tree of Mobius - Sonic #0 (Sally shows Sonic what's left of her family's tree since Robotnik cut it down)

Robotnik’s Badniks! - Sonic #0 (Robotnik make a propaganda video showing off his creations)

Oh No–Robo! No-Mo’ Mobo! - Sonic #0 (Sonic tells his version of Robotnik's takeover of Mobius...he's an unreliable narrator)

Sneaker Peek! - Sonic #0 (Sonic makes a vlog about his shoes)

Run, Sally, Run! - Sonic miniseries #1 (Sally lets herself get captured by Robotnik in order to spy on his bot-maker, only for the boys to rescue her before she can complete her mission)

Silent Running - Sonic #1 (Sonic and Rotor play baseball)

Something Fishy - Sonic #1 (Sonic gets captured by the badnik Jaws and Rotor uses his Bathysphere to go rescue him)

Equal Time -Sonic #1 (Rotor makes a vlog about things that aren't fast)

Ground Rule Double - Sonic #1 (Sonic plays tennis with himself)

Sonic's Baby Photographs - Sonic #1 (Sonic shows his fans his baby pictures)

A Crowning Achievement - Sonic miniseries #2 (Robotnik steals the magic emeralds that give the Crown of Acorns is protective powers and it's up to the FFs to get them back)

Top 10 Reasons why Sonic the Hedgehog is the Coolest Comic Book Around - Sonic #2 (Sonic tries to pitch his own comic)

Fin Fans - Sonic #2 (Sonic makes a vlog about his spines)

Photo Finish - Sonic #2 (the Freedom Fighters take a group photo)

Sonic Flashback! - Sonic miniseries #3 (Sonic gets a bump on the head and dreams that he and Robotnik were kids together on Uncle Chuck's farm)

Why Ask Spy? - Sonic #3 (Sonic disguises himself as a robot to sabotage Robotnik's plans)

Meet Me at the Corner of Hedgehog & Vine! - Sonic the Hedgehog #1 (Robotnik sends his latest badnik Krudzu to destroy the FFs)

You Bet My Life! - StH #1 (Sonic infiltrates Robotnik's casino to get info on his latest badnik Orbinaut)

I'd Like to Thank… - StH #1 (the Sally host an award show to honor the FFs)

Keep Looking Up! - StH #1 (Sonic answers some of his fan mail)

Chili Dog A La Sonic - StH #1 (Sonic makes a cooking vlog to share his favorite chilidog recipe)

Triple Trouble! - StH #2 (Robotnik sends three new badniks to capture sonic, Coconuts, Scratch, and Grounder)

In the Beginning! - StH #2 (Sonic makes a silly vlog about alternate versions of himself)

Vertigo A´ Go-Go! - StH #2 (Sonic falls into the Unknown Zone and meets Horizont-Al and Verti-Cal)

Foiled Again! - StH #2 (the FFs try out a new money making scheme)

Two-Timer! - StH #2 (unable to sit still, Sonic shows off his speed while Sally cooks him a boil egg for breakfast)

All the Mail's about Tails! - StH #2 (Tails gets his own fan mail)

The Bomb Bugs Me! - StH #3 (Rotor disguises himself as Robotnik in order to steal a bomb before Robotnik can use it)

Tails' Fairy Tales! - StH #3 (Tails and Sonic discusses the fable "The Tortoise and The Hare")

Double Speak! - StH #3 (A bored Sonic holds a telephone conversation with himself)

Paper Trail! - StH #3 (Sally gets angry at a gossip article in the newspaper that talks about her dying her hair)

Rabbot Deployment! - StH #3 (Bunnie's first appearance and origin)

Robotnik's Rules! - StH #3 (Robotnik makes propaganda listing his rules)

The Lizard of Odd! - StH #4 (Robotnik makes a giant badnik called Universalamander, who proves too strong to control. First appearance of Super Sonic)

Antoine's Van Refrain! - StH #4 (Antoine helps Sally assemble her new vanity)

Horizont-Al & Verti-Cal - StH #4 (Horizont-Al and Verti-Cal make a broadcast showing off their world and powers)

Badniks Bazaar - StH #4 (Coconuts, Scratch, and Grounder audition for a second shot at capturing Sonic)

Hare Styling - StH #4 (Bunnie opens up a hair salon part time)

Tails' Little Tale - StH #4 (Tails tries to prove himself a hero by taking on Robotnik by himself)

Olympic Trials and Errors - StH #5 (Robotnik challenges the FFs to Olympic style games. If they win he turns himself in, and if they lose he gets to robotize them. Sonic agrees not realizing that Robotnik has switched his sneakers causing him to lose his super speed)

Sonic's Ten Second Workout - StH #5 (Sonic makes a vlog showing off his usual workout routine)

Chomp on This, Chump! - StH #5 (Robotnik sends a robotic termite to the Great Forest to eat the FFs out of house and home)

Fast Food! - StH #5 (Sonic mistakes a bowl of wax fruit for his dinner)

The Spin Doctor! - StH #6 (adaptation of Sonic Spinball, first appearance of Hip and Hop)

Here Comes the Bribe! - StH #6 (Sonic gets a fan letter praising Antoine... that Antoine had paid the person to write)

Sonic's Christmas Carol! - StH #6 (Sonic has a dream where he, Robotnik, Snively, and the rest if the FFs are characters in A Christmas Carol... apparently Christmas is still celebrated on Mobius)

Uncle Chuck's Treasure! - StH #7 (Sonic finds a treasure map left by his uncle. Believing it might be the location of an important invention both the FFs and Robotnik race to the X that marks the spot)

The Shadow Nose! - StH #7 (Sonic practices shadow boxing)

Details Are Sketchy! - StH #7 (a badnik tries to describe who attacked him to Robotnik who is trying to draw the suspect based off the description)

Sorceress in Distress - StH #7 (on the Mobius's version of Halloween, called Fright Night [which takes place after Christmas apparently] Sally dresses as a witch, only for Robotnik to mistakenly believe her to be a real witch and offer that they team up together to take over Mobius)

Princess Cruises - StH #7 (Antoine tries to convince Sally to invest in a royal navy by naming a small boat after her)

Bot's All Folks! - StH #8 (Robotnik builds super powered robots inspired by comic books)

A Little Sonic Goes a Long Way - StH #8 (Robotnik builds a shrink ray)

Pseudo-Sonic! - StH #9 (Robotnik builds a robot duplicate of Sonic)

Tooth or Consequences! - StH #9 (Robotnik builds a dentist robot, and thinks even it is too cruel a monster to let loose on the world)

Quick Sketch - StH #9 (Sonic makes a vlog on how to draw himself)

What's the Point? - StH #9 (It's Sally birthday and Sonic tries to give her a pet Mobian Needle Bird as a gift. Only for the animal to prove more trouble than its worth)

Revenge of the Nerbs! - StH #10 (meet the Nerbs)

Twan With the Wind - StH #10 (Antoine builds a hot air balloon)

The Good, the Bad, and the Hedgehog! - StH #11 (Sonic gets lost on the Cosmic Interstate and winds up in Anti-Mobius where he meets his evil twin)

Beat The Clock - StH #11 (Coconuts has captured the FFs are using them as bait to lure Sonic into a trap)

Food for Thought or You Are What You Eat! - StH #11 (It's Sonic's birthday and he has a weird dream after eating too much)

3233 CE

Antoine = 16

Bunnie = 14

Rotor = 14

Sally = 13

Sonic = 13

Tails = 6

A Timely Arrival - StH #12 (Robotnik builds a time machine that sends Sonic back to the prehistoric era)

Bold-Headed Eagle - StH #12 (Sonic tries to help a depressed Cyril the Eagle to fly again before Robotnik captures them both)

This Island Hedgehog - Sth #13 (Meet Knuckles! A Sonic 3 adaptation)

Space in yo' Face! - StH #13 (Robotnik builds an orbital robotizer and so the FFs steal it, but Robotnik is hot on their tails)

Tails' Taste of Power - StH #14 (Tails gains super intelligence by eating a fruit from the tree of wisdom, but then proceeds to bite off more than he can chew when gets a swelled head over it)

Do-It-Yourself-Sonic - StH #14 (Sonic and Tails attempt to make a comic about their misadventures while fishing)

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun! - StH #14 (When Robotnik tries to capture Sally and Bunnie he finds out just how tough women can be)

Ghost Busted - Sonic Super Special #8 (Sonic, Tails, and Antoine go on a camping trip and try to scare each other with ghost stories)

Rockin' the 'Bot! - StH #15 (Sonic saves a magical frog that gives him three power stones... only trouble is Sonic can't remember which stone grants which power)

What's the Big Idea? - StH #15 (The Freedom Fighters all try to guess what Rotor's newest invention will be)

Animal Magnetism - StH #15 (Robotnik tries to use a giant magnet to capture Bunnie)

Sonic Under Glass! - StH #16 (Robotnik traps the FFs in a virtual reality that grants their every wish)

The Man from H.E.D.G.E.H.O.G. - StH #16 (Upset that the FFs keep spoiling his plans, Robotnik decides to use a randomized wheel to decide his moves in the hopes that no one will be able to predict what he's up to. First Appearance of Harvey Who)

Gorilla Warfare/The Apes of Wrath - StH #17 (Robotnik travels to Skoal Island and finds one of his original bots: King Gong, a giant, 800 ton gorilla! He then sends the big ape to Mobotropolis to attack Sonic and the Freedom Fighters! But it seems that King Gong's interests lay instead with Sally…)

Wedding Bell Blues - StH #18 (Sonic and Sally are getting married! And Robotnik is here to crash the wedding, but not everything is as it seems...)

Princess Sally's Crusade - StH 17 & 18, & Sonic Special #1: In Your Face (When Sally's beloved teacher dies, she goes on a quest to find herself again. First Appearance of Nicole)

The Mirror Zone - SS #1 (Sonic and Tails get trapped in a zone where everything is backwards)

Tails' Tallest Tale - SS #1 (Tails is invited to a convention to give a speech. He brags about his exploits to the audience until the real Robotnik shows up and Tails has to fight him alone)

Everything Old is Newt Again - Sonic the Hedgehog Archives #5 (Universalamander returns!)

Night of 1,000 Sonics - StH #19 (All of the Sonics across the multiverse have to team up to stop Robo-Robotnik from conquering all universes)

That's the Spirit - StH #20 (Everyone believes that Sonic has died in an explosion inside Robotnik's lab, including Sonic himself!)

The Three Phases of E.V.E. - StH #21 (Robotnik builds an unbeatable robot that can think for itself and evolve)

The Return - StH #22 (Believing Robotnik to be dead, Snively accidentally sets off the self destruct protocols which orders all of his robots to rampage till nothing is left of Mobius... and the only person who can stop the end of the world is... Robotnik back from the dead)

Tails' Knighttime Story! - StH #22 (In an attempt to get Tails to sleep, Sally tells Tails the story of Sir Runalot and Mortail to convince Tails that Sonic’s life is filled with danger and hard work, not fun and excitement.)

Ivo Robotnik, Freedom Fighter! - StH #23 (When the FFs and Robotnik get kidnapped by an alien scientist, they have to team up together to get back home)

The Vol-Ant-Teer - StH #23 (Tails has left a power ring in Robotropolis without Sonic knowing. Antoine being the showoff he is decides to retrieve it, but Bunnie comes along to help. First Kiss)

Deadliest of the Species - StH 20 & Sally Miniseries: 1-3 (Sally is training new recruits when she meets master spy Geoffrey St. John and together they uncover Robotnik's plot to replace her with a robot duplicate)

When Hedgehogs Collide - StH 24 (Anti-Sonic and the Suppression Squad crossover into Mobius and pretend to be the real FFs in an effort to undermine they're good counterparts reputations)

Go Ahead... Mecha My Day - StH 25 Robotnik builds his deadliest creation yet, Metal Sonic! And he kidnaps Sonic's pen pal, Amy Rose, to use as bait to lure him into a trap)

[mamasbakeria]

their favorite parts of the braiding process

summary: lmfao it’s just the title

genre | includes: headcanons, sfw, black reader, gn reader, established relationship

characters: eren jaeger, mikasa ackerman, armin arlert, sasha braus, jean kirschtein, connie springer, levi ackerman, hange zoe, erwin smith, historia reiss, ymir (not fritz), reiner braun, annie leonhardt, bertholdt hoover, marco bodt, miche zacharius, nanaba, zeke jaeger, yelena, onyankopon, pieck finger, porco galliard

author’s note: got my hair done a few days ago and i’ve been experiencing insane aot brainrot so here we are. ignore the way these got progressively longer lol. this was fun and i have some other ideas, maybe college won’t kill me before i post them. enjoy and lemme know what you think :)

the take down – you can’t really place them. they never want you to take your old hair out, but are all giggly with the scissors when you assert that it’s time. they can’t help it. even with all the build-up on your scalp, they think the return of your natural hair is something out of a fairy tale. they love the curl pattern left in your hair after weeks of being in braids and they love separating the braiding hair from your own. the scene stays the same: you’re on a pillow on the floor between their knees while a shitty hallmark romcom plays on the tv in front of you. both of you are armed with rattail and wide tooth combs, mentally preparing for all the shedding and breakage you’ll be brushing off the couch for the next few weeks. it’s routine at this point for them to jokingly hover the open scissors over the part of your braid where you know damn well your hair is and ask if they can cut from there. it’s also routine for the scissors to get snatched right out of their hands as you proceed to cut way below where your hair could logically be because “after all the time i spent fighting people in walmart for the mielle oil, i better have a natural 40 inch buss down under all this xpressions”. 

EREN, ymir, PIECK, zeke (cut your hair like an inch from the scalp while removing butterfly locs one time and, to this day, you’ve never seen someone more terrified), nanaba, YELENA, onyankopon

the wash – they’re probably more excited about your hair getting washed than you are. they miss giving you scalp massages without having 6 weeks worth of gel and leave in conditioner left under their nails. what they didn’t get was why it took so long. it probably sparked an argument because they never spend that much time washing their hair, so why do you? it wasn’t until you made them watch as you and your detangling brush fought with your curls under the stream of water and nearly blacked out from the heat that they realized why the water bill was so high. to save your aching arms (and hopefully some extra cash) they offered to wash your hair for you. they nearly waterboarded you the first time, but with practice, they got better.  now, nothing relaxes them more than lathering shampoo through your hair and occasionally spraying water in your face when you look too at peace. they buy you a salon wash basin for christmas so you both can stop crouching over the tub which is great, but where the fuck are you supposed to install it?

MIKASA, erwin, sasha, REINER (has the cutest smile when you sigh in response to him scratching that one spot on your scalp), hange, jean, annie, porco

the blowout – they don’t realize, especially if your hair is type 4, that detangling during the wash is only half the battle. it doesn’t matter how silky smooth it got in the shower, the second the blow dryer is out, it all goes to hell. i hope you’re not tenderheaded because the fight between them and your curls is long and painful. but it's a battle they refuse to let you fight. god forbid you try to blow out your own hair– they get sooo upset. which confuses you because the way they grumble under their breath while passing the comb attachment through your hair has you convinced they’re only doing it to work out some unresolved stress. the truth is, they just know you’ll forget to use heat protectant and wind up frying your hair. and they know how upset you get when you realize some of your roots didn’t get stretched. so they’ll (gently) muscle their way through the most stubborn tangles any day if it means getting to see you smile at how healthy your hair looks and how much it has grown since the last time you saw it like this. they love how your hair now floats around you. they don’t love how sore their arms are. “damn, no wonder you’re so strong.”

connie, PORCO, BERTHOLDT, armin, miche, MARCO (probably cries when the comb extension breaks in your hair)

the beauty supply runs – the simultaneously dull and fluorescent lighting casts an otherworldly glow over the aisles of gel, deep conditioner, kankelon hair, and wig glue. for some reason, there’s always a childlike gleam in their eye as they scan the wigs along the wall. you have to hold their hand every time so they don’t wander off. it’s not like the store is big–you could probably read each other’s lips while standing on opposite sides–but if given the freedom to roam, you’d be leaving $250 poorer than you planned for with bags full of stuff you absolutely don’t need. “babe we have matching bonnets, we don’t need them in zebra stripes too.” if you can convince them to stick with you, they’re snatching every bottle you pick up out of your hand. before you can even begin questioning them, they’ve already started reciting information about the ingredients of the products and why it isn’t good for your hair’s porosity. you can only stare dumbly as they hand you a better option to try because you have no idea when they would have had time to do any of this research. the favorite part of the trip for both of you is picking the color you’re doing next. the average passerby would think you’re trying to decide which wire to cut so you don’t detonate a bomb with how hard you both scrutinize the packs of color 30 and 350 in front of you (ginger is always your color)

HANGE, marco, mikasa, ONYANKOPON (will give you the dirtiest look if you so much as glance at a cantu product), pieck

the parting – this is the first step of the actual installation process that you involve them in. before they used to sit next to you on the couch as you did it all yourself, committing every movement your fingers made to memory and keeping you company. they would frown as you cursed your lack of ability to see perfectly behind your head and parted the same section over and over again. they wanted to offer help, they really did, they just didn’t trust themselves enough. so when you both started working from home and you didn’t care what your parts looked like, you let them try. it wasn’t perfect the first time, or the second. for about a month, you rock faux locs with a scalp that looks like the drawing on your fridge gifted to you by your 5 year old nephew, but that’s what beanies are for. rough start aside, they pick up on it quickly. they figure out how much gel you really need for your braids to look neat and don’t overdo it. wielding the comb with confidence, they cut through your hair like butter. soon they’re parting your hair into boxes, hearts, arches, diamonds, and whatever else you could imagine like moses did the red sea. “babe do you think it would look good if i make one of them look like my initials?”

ARMIN, eren, levi, ERWIN, ZEKE, historia (got really good really fast… hisu who do you fuck in the city when i’m not there?), bertholdt

the braid down – they’re in awe of the dexterity of your stylist's fingers as she adds pieces of braiding hair to your own and hardly looks down while nimbly braiding all the way to the ends. they sit through all your appointments–locs, press and curls, protein treatments, wig installs–but nothing fascinates them as much as the art of a simple braid. they ask all sorts of questions about what your stylist is doing and even start putting hair on the rack to make the process go smoother. they pay even more attention when you do it yourself because they aren’t worried about distracting anyone from doing their job. before long, they know almost everything there is to know about your braids except for how to do them. and they want to know so badly. the opportunity arises when you both relocate to a new city and all the “stylists” are charging $300+ for smedium mid-back knotless braids. you’d do it yourself, but you broke two fingers during the move-in process and aren’t skilled enough to work around it. you think you need to coach them through the process, but are pleasantly surprised when they get the grip right the first time and are halfway down by the time you’ve picked what movie trilogy you want to watch. turns out they’d been watching youtube videos and taking lessons from your old stylist so they could do it for you one day. at least that’s what they tell you, they really just like popping your head with the comb when you move from where they positioned it. “ow! stop pushing my head around” “keep your head still and i’ll think about it��

LEVI, yelena, YMIR (does the thing where she talks on the phone with it tucked in between her shoulder and her ear while braiding at top speed, like just put it on speaker), onyankopon, mikasa, armin, ANNIE

the finished product – they are NOT here for delayed gratification. they want to see your hair done and they want to see it now. they get more restless than you do and they’re not the one getting their thoughts and dreams braided for 5 hours. like why are they more upset about the infamous last braid that gets split into 4 more than you are? “man what the fuck are you so upset about? this is not your scalp??” it’s nice having them around regardless. whether or not they’re helping with the actual braiding, they’re your biggest supporter. they’ll grab you (and the stylist if you aren’t doing it yourself) mcdonalds, boil the water to seal your ends, oil your scalp, mousse your hair, trim the flyaways, sweep up the stray hair, etc. knowing how tired you are, all the time consuming clean up is their self-allotted duty. but once all of that is done, they get to do what they’ve been waiting for: admire you. without fail, the second you stand up they’re taking pictures from every angle, showering you with compliments (ginger really is your color), peppering your head with kisses, but most importantly, just looking at how beautiful you are. you outdo yourself every time and they tell you as much, even if it embarrasses you. 

HISTORIA, connie, pieck, hange, SASHA, reiner, JEAN (the heart eyes this man has for you…and don’t get me started on the sketches he makes of you with every new style you get. he is SO whipped)

© mamasbakeria 2023. do not repost, translate (without permission), or modify

[tina-aumont]

Raïna interview at VoyageLA page.

[Raïna and her horse Quincy]

Dr. Raïna Manuel-Paris has a multicultural background, born of a French father and a Dominican mother. She was raised in France and England until her early 20’s then moved to the US. Fairy tales and Legends were her refuges. They helped her understand the difficulties of her childhood. By the age of twelve, she had read most of the myths and legends of the world. From Ireland and Russia to Arabia. She holds a Ph.D. in Mythological Studies with emphasis in Depth Psychology from PGI.

She also holds a Masters Degree in Film from Columbia U. She taught Magic and Ritual and Myth and Symbol for 15 years at the Art Institute in Santa Monica, where she also offered guided meditations and somatic energy work. Her own spiritual seeking and evolution has taken her from Bali to the sacred shores of Lake Atitlan in the Guatemalan Highlands of the Sierra Madre… She is also adjunct faculty at PGI where she taught a course in Archetypal Patterns in Cinema. She assisted Dr. Lionel Corbett during his Psyche and the Sacred workshop with its ritual aspect. She has also taught at the Relativity School in Downtown LA. She is a published author of non-fiction and scholarly articles: Trauma War and Spiritual Transformation, Journal of Jungian Thought, 2017; The Mother- to-be Dream Book. Warner Books, 2002.) She is also a poet and published one book of poetry with Raven Books as well as several poems in various publications. Her documentary the Bridges of My Father was selected for the short film corner at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009.

[Raïna's husky mix Numen]

Currently, Raïna splits her time between Los Angeles and Ojai, CA. She works with individuals in a process she calls “The Cradle and the Crown,” assisting men and women in coming to alignment body mind and soul, developing deep aliveness as well as careful listening to the whisperings of their soul’s desire. She also uses the Tarot and other oracle tools to help her clients. She is a speaker /lecturer at the Joseph Campbell roundtable on the Tarot: the 22 universal patterns of transformation and on Love: Primal Agent of Change as well as the Myth Salon in LA. She has given numerous lectures at the Philosophical Research Society and taught workshops based on the Cradle and The Crown process. She practices Natural Horsemanship, with her horse Quincy, and also spends time exploring the Ojai valley with her husky mix, Numen. She also plays the ancient frame drum and sings. She is working to complete a novel with archetypal motifs. She also wrote a play with writing partner Susan Kacvinsky: “Seeking Sophia” which had a staged reading in Los Angeles in 2014.

Her work with students, including many veterans, always emphasizes the ways in which one reconnects the Soul of the World, Anima Mundi, with Corpus Mundi, the body of the world, and how to hold the tension between the inner world and the outer world in a way that engages curiosity and compassion. She worked on an online course “Awakening the Magician Within” as well as on her lecture “What Women Want”. Probably the one thing that has been at the core of her life is the understanding that we are all spiritual beings, whether we know it or not, magical beings with a desire for healing and love. And that archetypal stories, and the ancient mysteries of nature, provide a helpful direction towards an authentic relationship with the Self. Having a life with ritual and contemplation is very helpful as well. Soul, she believes, needs Mystery more than Meaning in order to feel the joy of its divinity.

[Raïna Paris]

Has it been a smooth road? A life is not a smooth ride, ever, if you want to actually live. What I learned as a child was so filled with confusion and misunderstanding, judgment, and rage, I became fear-based and so mixed up inside I had to learn to untangle all the different strands of my life and identify them, like the four impossible tasks given to Psyche, There has been many losses and deep grief along the way as well as health challenges. But always the deepest learning comes from all those challenges as well as the wisdom of the body, Re-learning to listen to the instincts and the intuition, trusting the inner guidance which has always been there but that took time to relearn to trust. I had to learn how to live from a place of inner authority as opposed to outer expectations. The mystical tools, like the Tarot, and the wisdom teachings of the ages, have always been beautiful signposts along the way.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know? I am not someone who likes to teach or talk about something for the sake of talking. I need to come from love in whatever I do. Specially because I was so fear-based, And I also need to know what I am talking about, what I am trying to convey, not only intellectually but in the body and in the heart. I am a scholar, a guide and a poet. And I do not ever talk about a subject however scholarly without implicating myself on a personal level. It’s not something I decided to do, it’s just how I am. I am always trying to live a life that is absolutely personal and authentic to me and at the same time, share my experience with others in the hopes that it might be helpful or useful.

So I go into the places of the In-Between, of liminality. It is the place of dreams, of imagination, and it is also the world of Nature, where the truth lives, at the threshold between this world and the archetypal world, I work with the tarot from an archetypal viewpoint because it is an ancient wisdom tool and I believe it helps give perspective to this crazy road trip called life, which often seems to spiral back to the same places we have experienced before. I also teach a seminar about the Cradle and the Crown process which helps people connect with the power and passion of childhood joy as well as the wisdom of inner authority. Once the weeds of false beliefs get rooted out, I find there is a beautiful way to live in tune with the Self and the world around us.

[Another photo of Raïna and her horse Quincy]

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least? I love that the city is surrounded by Nature, so close by, from parks and mountains to ocean.

It is a challenging place with just as many opportunities to heal and transform, as there are opportunities to lose oneself.

Raïna Paris interview at VoyageLA on-line magazine published the 20th May 2020. The name of the person who wrote this article or conducted this interview is not listed.

[enchantedliving]

This Year’s Enchanted Living Award Winner: Margo Selski

Featured Image: Summer Goddess (2020), by Margo Selski Oil on linen

We’re excited to feature one of the two winners of the Art Renewal Center’s 16th International ARC Salon Competition’s special Enchanted Living Award: Margo Selski’s Summer Goddess. (Stay tuned for the second winner in our summer issue, and find out more about the competition at artrenewal.org!) After choosing this gorgeous piece, we wanted to find out more from the artist herself.

Enchanted Living: Can you tell us about your work generally? What fascinates and inspires you?

Margo Selski: In my surreal and magical realistic oil paintings, I’m known for women in ornate garments and armor from the 14th to 16th centuries, oversize rabbits in oxford wing-tip shoes, insects on leashes, dresses covered in crying eyes, and young lady underwater gardening societies. I’m influenced by fairy tales, mythology, and my Southern Gothic upbringing. I am drawn to mysteries that are quirky, dark, nuanced, and hidden beneath layers of lush beauty.

EL: How did Summer Goddess come about?

MS: My painting Summer Goddess was inspired during the spring and summer of 2020 as I explored a wooded area called Sleepy Hollow. This small patch of wild is tucked just over the railroad tracks outside the Lowertown area of St. Paul, a short walk from my sixth-floor industrial art studio. Each time I returned to my studio, I daydreamed of the busy vibrations of the insects, the smell of the earth, and the intense colors of nature...... 

CONTINUE READING

[anonymoushouseplantfan]

I am another proponent of taking lots of breaks when you feel that your emotions are overwhelming and it’s triggering issues for you. I have taken quite a few in all this, to the point where I don’t mind anymore if people are not seeing what’s really happening. Everyone has their own perception to take in all this. I have loved ones who have gone through major mental health issues, grief, and were in the services where they suffered from ptsd. It’s difficult to read the lunacy- but eventually people might see it for what it is. What gives me reassurance is the falling numbers in the States and the establishment turning against them. There is really no way back from that. I just want to get through the endgame section, which as you and others have referenced, we are at the beginning of right now. I remember being at the hair salon right before the wedding and overhearing a lady next to me gush to her stylist that it was such a fairy tale to follow, I resisted the urge then to roll my eyes and really respond with what happened. We’ve got to let the game play out to a conclusion.

It has taken a longer than I thought it would, but the endgame (as Scobie would say, lol) seems to be finally here.

But it’s good to take breaks. Things can get frustrating at times.

[adarkrainbow]

The art of Perrault (1)

I found this fascinating article on an art-and-museum website talking about the few times Charles Perrault's fairytales entered the world of art. It's entirely in French, but for those non-French speakers I thought of sharing some elements and points made by the article.

First and foremost, their talk of the Gustave Doré illustrations, THE most famous illustrations of Perrault's fairytales to this day.

A few contextual reminders. We are in the 19th century, the time of nationalism, where each country focused onto itself, explaining the boom of interest for national folktales and fairytales. The literary Romanticism had also started to enter the world of the art - in the British world it was through the Victorian "fairy painting" wave of the 1850s and 1860s. And in France, right as the business of illustrated books and precious engravings is soaring, we got the Gustave Doré illustrations for Perrault.

The book they come from is the Pierre-Jules Hetzel Contes de Perrault edition of 1861 (illustrations by Gustave Doré, preface by P.-J. Stahl). It contains the eight prose tales of Perrault, from his Histoires ou Contes du temps passé (Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Bluebeard, Puss in Boots, Cinderella, Little Thumbling, Toads and Diamonds, Riquet with the tuft), plus a prose version of Donkey Skin. The book contains 40 illustrations, all based on models and drawings of Doré, though done by several engravers that were selected by both Hetzel and Doré: François Pannemaker, Héliodore and Anthelme Pisan. In 1861 the engravings themselves were shown, on their own, at the art Salon de peinture et sculpture (the huge yearly artistic event of 19th century France) - they were destined for collections, be them the personal collections of Doré and his engravers, or those of wealthy collectors.

The order of the fairytales was changed in this edition, which decided to go: Little Red Riding Hood, Little Thumbling, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Puss in Boots, Riquet with the tuft, Donkey Skin, Diamonds and Toads, and Bluebeard at the end.

The Bibliothèque Nationale of France and the Musée d'art moderne et contemporain of Strasbourg have both preserved precious photographies which were taken (by Nadar and Michelez) of the original wood-drawings Doré made for these illustrations. Doré had them exposed at the Louis Martinet galerie, and these photos are VERY precious because they are the only trace we have of Doré's original plans for these pictures - as well as the only way we can know of what changes and modifications the engravers brought to them.

Doré's illustrations reveal many things. First and foremost, how fairytales clearly were not just for children at the time. While he tries to stay true to the letter of Perrault's stories, Doré still uses a Romantisme noir style (dark Romanticism), offering dramatic, phantasmagorical, almost oppressive visions. The complex engravings play on the lights and the shadows, on the size of the characters and those of the landscape ; they also make heavy use of the monstrous and the uncanny. In the Little Thumbling illustrations, there is an effort to convey the loneliness and anguish of the characters - the forest is endless, dark and scary, swallowing the children... The compositions are however still very detailed, with a lot of accumulations, because they are to be beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. For example, the picture of Bluebeard's wife receiving the keys shows a lot of precious cloth and a varied jewelry - and this overbearing of the decorum, mixed with the unusual appearance of Bluebeard (especially his gaze) all conveys the tragedy that is unfolding here.

By opposition to these scenes of cruelty and tragedy, Doré makes several more "peaceful" illustrations. Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella are still filled with mystery and disturbingness, but they are rather dominated by the sweetness of the two young women. Doré doesn't limit himself to strong and isolated characters, on the contrary he creates an entire "decorative universe" just to have his characters fit into a narrative. The overabundance of tiny details causes an almost unconscious reverie, making the audience almost "re-discover" Perrault texts anew.

The illustrations of Doré caused the massive success of the Hetzel edition, and very quickly these pictures became part of popular culture, influencing the way Perrault's fairytales were perceived up to this day.

[undyingembers]

Owlcatober Day 22 - Nobility

My entry for @owlcatober! Enjoy!

When Leonosa entered Nerosyan Castle, she knew she had nothing to be afraid of. She was the Commander of the final Crusade, the one to have rid the world of the Worldwound forever, and she was the governor of Drezen and a countess besides. No one in their right minds would ever say that she shouldn’t be allowed in the royal court (at least not openly). Knowing all of this, however, did not erase decades of being told that someone like her shouldn’t even be here, that the court wouldn’t accept it, that everyone would think that she was a taint, and all sorts of excuses Leonosa’s family came up with to keep her within Castle Marhaven’s walls.

Daeran had spared no expense in making sure that Leonosa wore the outfit of her dreams: the wide ballgown with shining silks, elaborate jewelry, and a trip to the most high-end salon in Nerosyan.

“It is quite overrated I can assure you,” said Daeran. Daeran very much didn’t believe in Mendevian’s nobility’s ability to give a fairy tale romantic evening, and neither did Leonosa, to be perfectly honest, but Leonosa was grateful that he was indulging her that night.

“Count Daeran Kael Nevis Arendae,” the footman announced as they entered the ballroom. “And his wife Countess Leonosa Catalina Beatricia Arendae.”

“Let’s get this farce over with,” said Daeran as he and Leonosa walked arm and arm into the ballroom.

As a country that prides itself on its militaristic asceticism, Mendev would be the last place to hold the classic swirling romantic balls. The only adornments allowed here were ones that honored Galfrey, Iomadae, and the Crusades. Daeran gagged at the sight of it, and even Leonosa was rather disgusted. Back in Drezen, at least Leonosa had been able to add a bit of culture. There were more festivals, and the people could celebrate more than a century of war and an oppressive god.

Leonosa’s family was there. Thankfully, her mother was back in Marhaven, but Leonosa still got to see some of her aunts, uncles, and cousins. The interactions were cordial, too much so. It was all smiles and congratulations. None of Leonosa’s relatives wanted to acknowledge the treatments her family had made her endure or how she had to have been locked away behind walls for much of her life.

As a matter of fact, everyone at the ball wanted to ignore these unpleasant facts. No one cared that Leonosa was a tiefling, but they also didn’t care that people like her had been accused and persecuted. They all wanted to pretend that none of it had ever happened. No reckoning, no accountability.

It was rather frustrating and disheartening, really.

At least Leonosa got to dance with Queen Galfrey again. Despite everything, the queen was an excellent dancing partner. She was every bit as graceful as she seemed, and dancing was one of the closest Leonosa had ever seen of her queen letting go and having fun. They were free to talk about interests and events without politics getting in the way. Leonosa suspected that Galfrey was just as grateful for their very rare dances as Leonosa herself was.

Of course, Daeran could help but cut in to get a dance with his wife. The count turned his face very pointedly away from Galfrey as he took Leonosa away.

“I must say that tonight has been quite a letdown,” said Daeran. “I would have hoped for a bigger reaction to your presence here, perhaps even a gasp or a whisper or two behind a fan. Just…nothing.”

“I am so sorry to disappoint,” Leonosa responded dryly.

They went a few rounds around the ballroom. No matter the setting, Leonosa would never tire of dancing with her husband.

Daeran sighed. “Well, I can definitely say that I am completely and utterly bored to tears of this venue. Shall we take our fine selves to the tavern?”

“Gods, yes!” said Leonosa.

[mask131]

A fantasy read-list: B-2

Part B: The First Classical Fantasy

2) On the other side, a century of France... 

As I said in my previous post, for this section I will limit myself to two geographical areas: on one side the British Isles (especially England/Scotland), and now France. More specifically, the France of fairytales! 

Maybe you didn’t know, but the genre of fairy tales, and the very name “fairy tale” was invented by the French! Now, it is true that fairytales existed long before that as oral tales spread from generations to generations, and it is also true that fairy tales had entered literature and been written down before the French started to write down their own... But the fairytale genre as we know it today, and the specific name “fairy tale”, “conte de fées”, is a purely French AND literary invention. 

# If we really want to go back to the very roots of fairy tales in literature, the oldest fairytale text we have still today, it would be a specific segment of Apuleius’ The Golden Ass (or The Metamorphoses depending on your favorite title). In it, you find the Tale of Psyche and Cupid, and this story, which got MASSIVELY popular during the Renaissance, is actually the “original” fairytale. In it you will find all sorts of very common fairytale tropes and elements (the hidden husband one must not see, the wicked stepmother imposing three impossible tasks, the bride wandering in search of her missing husband and asking inanimate elements given a voice...), as well as the traditional fairytale context (an old woman telling the story to a younger audience to carry a specific message). In fact, all French fairytale authors recognized Psyche and Cupid as an influence and inspiration for their own tales, often making references to it, or including it among the “fairytales” of their time. 

# The French invented the genre and baptized it, but the Italian started writing the tales and began the new fashion! The first true corpus, the first literary block of fairytales, is actually dating from the 16th century Italy. Two authors, Straparola and Basile, inspired by the structure, genre and enormous success of Boccace’s Decameron, published two anthologies respectively titled, Piacevoli Notti (The Facetious Nights) and the Pentamerone, or The Tale of Tales. These books were anthologies of what we would call today fairytales, stories of metamorphosed princes, and fairies, and ogres, and magical animals, and bizarre transformations, and curses needing to be broken, and damsels needing to be rescued... In fact, these books contain the “literary ancestors” and the “literary prototypes” of some of the very famous fairytales we know today. The ancestors of Sleeping Beauty (The Sun, the Moon and Thalia), Cinderella (Cenerentola), Snow-White (Lo cuorvo/The Raven), Rapunzel (Petrosinella) or Puss in Boots (Costantino Fortunato, Cagliuso)... 

However be warned: these books were intended to be licentious, rude and saucy. They were not meant to be refined and delicate tales - far from it! Scatological jokes are found everywhere, many of the tales are sexual in nature, there’s a lot of very gory and bloody moments... It was basically a series sex-blood-and-poop supernatural comedies where most of the characters were grotesque caricatures or laughable beings. We are far, far away from the Disney fairytales... 

# The big success and admiration caused by the Italian works prompted however the French to try their hand at the genre. They took inspiration from these stories, as well as from the actual oral fairytales that were told and spread in France itself, and turned them into literary works meant to entertain the salons and the courts. This was the birth of the French fairytale, at the end of the 17th century - and the birth of the fairytale itself, since the name “fairy tale” was invented to designate the work of these authors. 

The greatest author of French fairytale is, of course, Charles Perrault with his Histoires ou Contes du Temps Passé (Stories or Tales of the Past), mistakenly referred to by everyone today as Les Contes de Ma Mère L’Oie (Mother Goose Fairytales - no relationship to the Mother Goose of nursery rhymes). Charles Perrault is today the only name remembered by the general public and audience when it comes to fairytales. He is THE face of fairytales in France and part of the “trio of fairytale names” alongside Grimm and Andersen. He wrote some of the most famous fairytales: Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots, Cinderella... He also wrote fairytales that are considered today classics of French culture, even though they are not as well known internationally: Donkey Skin, Diamonds and Toads or Little Thumbling. The first Disney fairytale movies (Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella) were based on his stories! 

But another name should seat alongside his. If Charles Perrault was the father of fairytales, madame d’Aulnoy was their mother. She was for centuries just as famous and recognized as Charles Perrault - when Tchaikovsky made his “Sleeping Beauty” ballet, he made heavy references to both Perrault and d’Aulnoy - only to be completely ignored and erased by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, for all sorts of reasons (including the fact she was a woman). But Madame d’Aulnoy had stories translated all the way to Russia and India, and she wrote twice more fairytales as Perrault, and she was the author of the very first chronological French fairytale! (L’Ile de la Félicité, The Island of Felicity). Her fairytales were compiled in Les Contes des Fées (The Tales of Fairies), and Contes Nouveaux, ou Les Fées à la mode (New Tales, or Fairies in fashion) - and while for quite some times madame d’Aulnoy fell into obscurity, many of her tales are still known somehow and stayed classics that people could not attribute a name to. The White Doe (an incorrect translation of “The Doe in the Wood), The White Cat, The Blue Bird, The Sheep, Cunning Cinders, The Orange-Tree and the Bee, The Yellow Dwarf, The Story of Pretty Goldilocks (an incorrect translation of “Beauty with Golden Hair”), Green Serpent... 

A similar warning should be held as with the Italian fairytales - because the French fairytales aren’t exactly as you would imagine. These fairytales were very literary - far away from the short, lacking, simplified folklore-like tales a la Grimm. They were pieces of literature meant to be read as entertainment for aristocrats and bourgeois, in literary salons. As a result, these pieces were heavily influenced (and heavily referenced) things such as the Greco-Roman poems, or the medieval Arthuriana tales, and the most shocking and vulgar sexual and scatological elements of the Italian fairytales were removed (the violence and bloody part sometimes also). But it doesn’t mean these stories were the innocent tales we know today either... These fairytales were aimed at adults, and written by adults - which means, beyond all the cultural references, there are a lot of wordplays, social critics, courtly caricatures and hidden messages between the lines. The sexual elements might not be overtly present for example, but they are here, and can be found for those that pay attention. These stories have “morals” at the end, but if you pay attention to the tale and read carefully, you realize these morals either do not make any sense or are inadequated to the tales they come with - and that’s because fairy tales were deeply subversive and humoristic tales. People today forgot that these fairytales were meant to be read, re-read, analyzed and dissected by those that spend their days reading and discussing about it - things are never so simple... 

# While Perrault and d’Aulnoy are the two giants of French fairytales, and the ones embodying the genre by themselves, they were but part of a wider circle of fairytale authors who together built the genre at the end of the 17th century. But unfortunately most of them fell into obscurity... Perrault for example had a series of back-and-forth coworks with a friend named Catherine Bernard and his niece mademoiselle Lhéritier, both fairytale authors too. In fact, the “game” of their “discussion through their work” can be seen in a series of three fairytales that they wrote together, each author varying on a given story and referencing each-other in the process: Catherine Bernard wrote Riquet à la houppe (Riquet with the Tuft), Charles Perrault wrote his own Riquet à la houppe in return, and mademoiselle Lhéritier formed a third variation with the story Ricdin-Ricdon. Other fairytale authors of the time include madame de Murat/comtesse de Murat, mademoiselle de La Force, or Louise de Bossigny/comtesse d’Auneuil. Yes, the fairytale scene was dominated by women, since the fairytale as a genre we perceived as “feminine” in nature. There were however a few men in it too, alongside Perrault, such as the knight de Mailly with his Les Illustres Fées (Illustrious Fairies) or Jean de Préchac with his Contes moins contes que les autres (Fairy tales less fairy than others). 

A handful of these fairytales not written by either Perrault or d’Aulnoy ended up translated in English by Andrew Lang, who included them in his famous Fairy Books. For example, The Wizard King, Alphege or the Green Monkey, Fairer-than-a-Fairy (The Yellow Fairy Book) or The Story of the Queen of the Flowery Isles (The Grey Fairy Book).

# These people were however only the first wave, the first generation of what would become a “century of fairytales” in France. After this first wave, the publication of a new work at the beginning of the 18th century shook French literature: Antoine Galland translation+rewriting of The One Thousand and One Nights, also known later as The Arabian Nights. This work created a new wave and passion in France for “Arabian-flavored fairytales”. Everybody knows the Arabian Nights today, thanks to the everlasting success of some of its pieces (Aladdin, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Sinbad the Sailor, The Tale of Scheherazade...), but less people know that after its publication in France tons of other books were published, either translating-rewriting actual Arabian folktales, or completely inventing Arabian-flavors fairytales to ride on the new fashion. Pétis de la Croix published Les Milles et Un Jours, Contes Persans, “The One Thousand and One Days, Persian tales” to rival Galland’s own book. Jean-Paul Bignon wrote a book called Les Aventures d’Abdalla (The Adventures of Abdalla), and Jacques Cazotte a fairytale called La Patte de Chat (The Cat’s Paw). I could go on to list a lot of works, but to show you the “One Thousand and One” mania - after the success of 1001 Nights and 1001 Days, a man called Thomas-Simon Gueulette came to bank on the phenomenon, and wrote, among other things, The One Thousand and One Hours, Peruvian tales and The One Thousand and One Quarter-of-Hours, Tartar Tales. 

# Then came what could be considered either the second or third “wave” or “generation” of fairytales. It is technically the third since it follows the original wave (Perrault and d’Aulnoy times, end of the 17th) and the Arabian wave (begining of the 18th). But it can also be counted as the second generation, since it was the decision in the mid 18th century to rewrite French fairytales a la Perrault and d’Aulnoy, rejecting the whole Arabian wave that had fallen over literature. So, technically the “return” of French fairytales. 

The most defining and famous story to come of this generation was, Beauty and the Beast. The version most well-known today, due to being the shortest, most simplified and most recent, was the one written by Mme Leprince de Beaumont, in her Magasin des Enfants. Beaumont’s Magasin des Enfants was heavily praised and a great best-seller at the time because she was the one who had the idea of making fairytales 1- for children and 2- educational, with ACTUAL morals in them, and not fake or subversive morals like before. If people think fairytales are sweet stories for children, it is partially her fault, as she began the creation of what we would call today “children literature”. However Leprince de Beaumont did not invent the Beauty and the Beast fairytale - in truth she rewrote a previous literary version, much longer and more complex, written by madame de Villeneuve in her book La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins (The Young American Girl and the sea tales). Madame de Villeneuve was another fairy-tale author of this “fairytale renewal”. Other names I could mention are the comtesse de Ségur, who wrote a set of fairytales that were translated in English as Old French Fairytales (she was also a defender of fairytales being made into educational stories for children), and mademoiselle de Lubert, who went the opposite road and rather tried to recreate subversive, comical, bizarre fairytales in the style of madame d’Aulnoy - writing tales such as Princess Camion, Bear Skin, Prince Glacé et Princesse Etincelante (Prince Frozen and Princess Shining), Blancherose (Whiterose)... 

Similarly to what I described before, a lot of these fairytales ended up in Andrew Lang’s Fairy Books. Prince Hyacinth and the Dear Little Princess, Prince Darling (The Blue Fairy Book), Rosanella, The Fairy Gifts (The Green Fairy Book)... 

# The “century of fairy tales” in France ended up with the publication of one specific book - or rather a set of books. Le Cabinet des Fées, by Charles-Joseph Meyer. As we reached the end of the 18th century, Meyer noticed that fairy tales had fallen out of fashion. None were written anymore, nobody was interested in them, nothing was reprinted, and a lot of fairytales (and their authors) were starting to fall into oblivion. Meyer, who was a massive fan of fairytales, hated that, and decided to preserve the fairytale genre by collecting ALL of the literary fairytales of France in one big anthology. It took him four years of publication, from 1785 to 1789, but in a total of forty-one books he managed to collect and compile the greatest collection of French literary fairytales that was ever known - even saving from destruction a handful of anonymous fairytales we wouldn’t know existed today if it wasn’t for his work. In a paradoxical way, while this ultimate collection did save the fairytale genre from disappearing, it also marked the end of the “century of fairytales”, as it set in stone what had been done before and marked in the history of literature the fairytale genre as “closed off”. All the French fairytales were here to be read, and there was nothing more to add. 

Ironically, Le Cabinet des Fées itself was only reprinted and republished a handful of times, due to how big it was. The latest reprints are from the 19th century if I recall correctly - and after that, there was a time where Le Cabinet was nowhere to be found except in antique shops and private collections. It is only in very recent time (the late 2010s) that France rediscovered the century of fairytales and that new reprints came out - on one side you have cut-down and shortened versions of Le Cabinet published for everybody to read, and on the other you have extended, annotated, full reprints of Le Cabinet with additional tales Meyer missed that are sold for professional critics, teachers, students and historians of literature. But the existence of Le Cabinet, and Meyer’s great efforts to collect as much fairytales as possible, would go on to inspire other men in later centuries, inciting them to collect on their own fairytales... Men such as the brothers Grimm. 

[autistic-ben-tennyson]

How Star Wars led to Reaganism

Found some interesting articles from historian Rick Perlstein about how movies like SW, Superman and Rocky helped push America to right wing politics. While Lucas did include some left wing, anti Vietnam war themes and aesthetics in his movies, that wasn’t how most Americans interpreted them. Americans identified with the rebels as the underdog. It being a black and white whimsical fairy tale with a lack of moral nuance during a decade of morally grey films that came after Vietnam and Watergate appealed to those who would vote for Reagan. It would have an affect on pop culture and the movies that were made after. Movies of the 80s like Back to the Future and Indiana Jones continued the trend of whimsical, special effects filled movies during the Reagan era. Should people really be surprised at the news of Spielberg being a Zionist when a lot of his films are conservative?

I feel like people shouldn’t be surprised at this or why there’s a lot of conservatism in the SW fandom as it’s there in the story too. There’s a lot of sexist and racist tropes in the franchise from the Tusken raiders, The Bad Batch and how Han and Anakin treat their love interests. Most of the villains are just evil for the evulz with even the more sympathetic villains being made out to have done it to themselves. Contrary to what some say, Lucas intended the Jedi to be entirely in the right and puts the blame entirely on Anakin for his fall. That’s a fairly conservative way of thinking that puts all the blame on the individual for being tempted or “lazy” as opposed to looking at systemic, psychological and child rearing issues and how they influence people. Star Wars is a very moralistic religious story. It has some left wing themes but is very conservative with its black and white morality and people shouldn’t be as shocked by the existence of right wing fans as they are.

[ilhoonftw]

2022 World Chocolate Masters - #WOW Shop Windows

(aka chocolate sculpture assignment)

1. Belgium - Togo Matsudo

Togo Matsuda representing Belgium is here to move you and the whole world of chocolate. This intricate design even moves on its own. Have you ever seen a whale out of chocolate swim? You can at Salon de Chocolat. Is it enough to secure your vote?

2. Poland - Igor Zaritskyi

Poland's finalist Igor Zaritskyi was born in Ukraine. And his #WOW window has one very clear message: to make sure that all children can grow up, live and play in peace.

3. Hungary - Attila Menyhart

Combining the beauty of nature and the city, Hungarian finalist Attila Menyhart has managed to build a cityscape that makes you stop in your tracks.

4. UAE - Dilip Kumara

Dilip Kumura from the UAE made science-fiction come to life with his #WOW shopping window. Did you spot the octopus?

5. Finland - Eero Paulamäki

Finland's Eero Paulamäki brought the movement of flowers to his #WOW piece, showing new life is ready to thrive in even the toughest of places - like the World Chocolate masters final.

6. Canada - Nishant Amin

Canadian finalist Nishant Amin brought a fairy tale to life in his #WOW window display. The leaves and Canada’s national animal the beaver bring a super local element to this eye-catching display.

7. Italy - Anna Gerasi

Italian finalist Anna Gerasi once again showed her love for Gen Z with a face made completely out of pixel art. Better even: out of more than 4300 bonbons.

8. Greater China - Jacky Lung

China's Jacky Lung used all of his imagination to break out of the box of his #WOW window. We a story set in Mayan times where someone is trying to steel a cacao fruit.

9. Japan - Jiro Tana

Delicious and indulgent combined. That's what Japanese finalist Jiro Tanaka wanted to show with his pyramid. His fun use of lettering and deliciously tasty power fruits shine through. Fun fact: this chef refused to love the 30 most common allergens. This is a piece that everyone can enjoy.

[part 2 reblog with the other 9 pieces]

[axolotlicepop]

I was going through my notes app and found some old story ideas/ prompts, I'm probably not gonna use them, so I thought I'd share?

An AU where everyone has an hour glass tattooed on them that counts down until the most important moment of their lives. For some its meeting their love/soulmate, starting to pursue a job, or even their death.

Where the king's harem is actually an elite spy foce with the strongest warriors

Fairy tale characters are actually demons

People with horns or unicorns but the horns are candles and/or sparklers

Where orphans and convicts were injected with incurable desieases and used as bio warfare and were known to take out whole armys within days. (Maybe main story is post war?) (They were called: walking dead? Death walkers? Grim reapers?)

Someone who's affected by superstitions (ex: steps on a crack, their mother's back breaks), but like no one else makes superstitions happen. It's just this one person.

Kid who hates their mom jumps on every crack on the sidewalk they can

This tea house that once ur in u can't escape. The owner is obsessive and is so attached to their shop and having business that they make it impossible for them to leave. So people band together to escape and survive

Hair salon AU: stylist helps customer with problems and give them advice, and eventually they fall in love. Or a customer comes late to a salon with horribly dyed hair, and the stylist is like wtf?? The customer was like, " i was having a breakdown and impulsively dyed my hair, but it looks horrible. Can u fix it?" The stylist helps and gives them their number so when the customer feels the impulse to do something with their hair they can have the stylist come and help

A wizard has been banished/cursed to live in the woods surrounding the kingdom and is ordered to help the prince on his quest. As payment he will be set free. The wizard hates the king but is also obviously into him and the prince hates that he has to listen to this old man pine after his own father.

Uh, yeah, hope you enjoy 😅

[mediaevalmusereads]

The Disenchantment. By Celia Bell. Pantheon Books, 2023.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Genre: historical fiction

Series: N/A

Summary: In 17th century Paris, everyone has something to hide. The noblemen and women and writers consort with fortune tellers in the dark confines of their salons, servants practice witchcraft and black magic, and the titled poison family members to obtain inheritance. But for the Baroness Marie Catherine, the only thing she wishes to hide is how unhappy she is in her marriage, and the pleasures she seeks outside of it. When her husband is present, the Baroness spends her days tending to her children and telling them elaborate fairy tales, but when he's gone, Marie Catherine indulges in a more liberated existence, one of salons in grand houses, forward-thinking discussions with female scholars, and at the center of her freedom: Victoire Rose de Bourbon, Mademoiselle de Conti, the androgynous, self-assured countess who steals Marie Catherine's heart and becomes her lover. Victoire possesses everything Marie Catherine does not--confidence in her love, and a brazen fearlessness in all that she's willing to do for it.

But when Victoire's passion results in a shocking act of murder, she and Marie Catherine must escape from the tight clutches of Paris' eager chief of police. As they attempt to outwit him, they are led to the darkest corners of Paris and Versailles. What they discover is a city full of lies, mysticism, and people who have secrets they would also kill to keep.

***Full review below.***

Content Warnings: blood, violence, spousal abuse, miscarriage, abortion

Overview: I picked up this book on a whim at a local bookstore, where it was featured prominently on a queer lit bookshelf. I'm always up for some queer historical fiction, and I was excited for this novel because I haven't read a whole lot set in 17th century France. Overall, there was a lot about this book that I liked; Bell's prose is atmospheric and captivating, and I loved the complex portrait of a wlw woman trapped in an unhappy marriage, using stories as escapism. While there were points at which the pace seemed to drag, I did enjoy this novel, so it gets 4 stars from me.

Writing: Bell's prose is incredibly evocative and, at times, lyrical. It contains a lot of figurative language and the metaphors Bell uses are sensual. There was often a phrase that made me pause because of how utterly captivating it was, so if you like that kind of prose, this book might work for you.

But there are a few things that made the book as a whole more difficult to read. For one, Bell's pacing can be extremely slow, and while I didn't always mind, there were times when I wanted the action of the plot to progress. For two, Bell's does a lot of "head hopping" - changing perspective within the same chapter without something like a section break to signal a new POV. Though the entire book is in third person, Bell will occasionally switch perspectives and give us the thoughts and feelings of a different character, right in the middle of a scene. While I could generally follow the switches, it did make for more disorienting narration and interrupted the flow.

Plot: The plot of this book primarily follows Marie Catherine, a thirty-something year old baronne trapped in an unhappy marriage during a period of intense paranoia about witchcraft and murder by poison in late 17th centry France. Marie Catherine tells original fairy tales to her children and keeps a female lover named Victoire to escape from her husband's controlling behavior. But when the Baron is brutally murdered and suspicion falls on her, Marie Catherine must put together a tale that will protect her and the ones she loves from the law.

Personally, I didn't feel that this plot was infused with much urgency or suspense, and I can't quite tell if Bell meant it to be more of a character study. There isn't any mystery as to who killed the Baron, and I never felt that Marie Catherine, her children, Victoire, or anyone else for that matter were in any serious danger due to the chief of police (LA Reynie) or the historical setting. Scenes also didn't quite build on one another in a way that gave shape to what one might expect from a thriller, mystery, or historical fiction plot; instead, the narrative wandered and lingered on things that were more character-focused than anything, so I had to wonder if Bell was less interested in plot and more interested in character.

But even if that was so, it was difficult to be fully drawn into the way the characters inhabited their world because their motivations felt fairly obscure. Marie Catherine and Victoire's relationship didn't feel very passionate or emotionally intimate - they were apart more often than not, so it was hard to see them as a couple. Jeanne, Marie Catherine's maid, seemed at once loyal to her employer but then seemed to cut her losses and run, which made me question how loyal she really was and for what reason.

But perhaps my biggest disappointment was that Marie Catherine's storytelling skills weren't woven into the larger narrative very well. The fairy tales themselves were phenomenal, but they seemed to be dropped into the scenes without much ceremony, and neither the themes of the tales nor Marie Catherine's knack for tale-telling seem to be major drivers of the plot.

Characters: Marie Catherine, our protagonist, is sympathetic in that she's trapped in an unhappy marriage and later, is trapped by the law's suspicion of her and her household. I liked that her tale-telling was figured as a method of escapism and that she seemed to be genuinely warm and kind, however, it was difficult to really get into Marie Catherine's head because her relationship with Victoire was perhaps the least interesting influence on her character. This isn't me saying that I don't like wlw stories - I very much do. But I don't think this one presented a very compelling relationship, which meant the main motivation for so many character actions felt a little underdeveloped.

Victoire, Marie Catherine's lover, is interesting in that she's impulsive and acts without fear of repercussion. I liked that shebwas presented as this wild, convebtion-flaunting courtier whose entire being is shaken by the death of the Baron. I do wish we had gotten more into Victoire's head, though, because as it stands, I felt like the book kept her at more of an arm's length than it did other characters.

Jeanne, Marie Catherine's maid, was perhaps the most complex in that she has a jaded past and an interesting connection with the Parisian underworld. I loved the moments when Jeanne felt pulled between her loyalty to the baronne and her desire to atone for her past, and I think her character arc involved the most tension. However, I also think Jeanne's motivations weren't as clear as they could have been, so a little more scaffolding would have gone a long waynwith this character.

Other characters - such as Lavoie the painter and La Reynie the chief of police - are compelling due to their complexity, but again, their arcs tend to fall a little flat because their motivations are a bit underdeveloped. La Reynie's arc was perhaps the most clear in that he was motivated by truth and justice, even if it was a little unpopular with the upper crust. I liked the idea of Lavoie, and his attraction to Marie Catherine was multi-faceted and intriguing; but I didn't fully understand why he would act as he did, even if he didn't like the Baron and fancied his wife. Overall, it seemed like Bell wrote a lot of characters with a lot of great personalities, but didn't quite give them anywhere to go.

TL;DR: The Disenchantment is notable for its lyrical prose, historical setting, and cast of complex characters with quirks that make them memorable; however, this book doesn't quite give readers a clear sense of direction, withholding character motivations and sending us meandering towards the denouement to the detriment of what would have otherwise been a very clever, unique story.