Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Beauty


It probably isn't hard to guess that I'm a huge Pre-Raphaelite fan. As my darling Algernon Swinburne once said, "To have read the greatest works of any great poet, to have beheld or heard the greatest works of any great painter or musician, is a possession added to the best things of life." The concept of "art for art's sake" and the fragile and fleeting nature of beauty inspire me.

So, when I was sorting through my hope chest and ran across a beautiful set of demitasse that I had been given as a wedding gift (10 years ago!), I was embarrassed. What a waste to have these delicate confections languishing in storage!

I think we all have items like these, fine jewelry or family china, that we don't use or leave locked away for fear of breaking or losing them. But beautiful things were never meant to be hidden, and beauty, in all its incarnations, only lasts a short while.

So, I unwrapped my gilt treasures and put them in the cabinet and whether it is common hot chocolate or fine cappuccino, they will be used and admired.

5 comments:

BumbleVee said...

wow.... these are beautiful.....

Liz Harrell said...

I'm mentally cheering you on. Sigh. Now if I could just talk myself into using the silver.

Mrs. Fox said...

Common, Liz, you can do it. Just one meal - and not a fancy one.

Linda said...

Those are really lovely. I just have some old coffee mugs that I use, and some small plain white cups for cappacino.

Jennie said...

I'm a Pre-Rahpaelite fan too! I love John Waterhouse.
(Have you read 'Lizzie Siddal: The Tragedy of a Pre-Raphaelite Supermodel by Lucinda Hawksley, if not, it is well worth a read!)
Beautiful set and better on display than in the Hope chest!