It’s the height of summer, so today, I thought we might go to the seaside and explore what we might have seen in the late 19th century.
Victorian bathing beauties!
They are leaving their beach huts and venturing into the sea.
Oops! She might have ventured a bit too far…
…. and had to be pulled ashore.
She is recovering with a restorative smoke.
Naughty, naughty!
When she ventured out again, she did it with some help.
As our little ones would say, “Carry me?”
Settling down for good gossip…
… which seems to entail another cigarette. Oh my!
The saltwater played havoc with her hair.
She couldn’t do anything with it.
Watch out for that lobster!
Shoo! Get away!!
Let’s have a nice cup of tea and a bite to eat.
Home at last. Time to bolt the door and go to bed.
Bains de Mer is a series of twelve 19th-century plates featuring black and white etchings by Charles Hamlet, produced by Creil et Montereau.
I managed to snag ten of the twelve, but the remaining two remain elusive. No matter, ten was more than enough to put together a summer table featured in Entertablement—Much Depends on Dinner.
The plates were clearly the star of the show; the rest of the table was very straightforward. A fishnet formed the base, scattered with seashells.
I stuck with a fairly monochromatic palette, with natural elements providing the only other colour in the straw placemats, wooden napkin rings and lanterns.
Oh – and a wire ship in the centre.
Serving seafood pasta seemed the only way to go. Squid Ink Linguine with Seafood continued the black-and-white seaside theme.
Please join us! There is plenty to go around!
I hope everyone enjoys a beautiful and relaxing Sunday in high summer.
