Purse of fabric tapestry, silk fiber. Black background with tapestry of man and women seated encircled by flowers. Double chain handle. Iridescent gold/peach lining. Mirror in inside pocket. Bas relief faces on hinges and chain holder. Frame appears hand-made.
This Victorian Reticule purse embodies both the
Renaissance and Rococo Revival styles. In the center we find a renaissance picnic scene that looks plucked from Fragonard painting. The clasp features neoclassical columns reminiscent of the renaissance obsession with Ancient Greece and Rome. These classical touches also reflect back a sense of opulence from the Rococo period where such reticulated columns would appear inside the homes of the upper classes. Next to these columns, appear a cherub like faces which reflect the cherubs which are sprinkled throughout renaissance artwork and a laurel wreath at the top which frequently appears on Renissance Revival reticule purse.
