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- STYLE IRIDESCENCE IN NATURE by Anna Yanofsky
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Even bugs are beautifully iridescent. Egyptians were entranced by the green-gold shimmer of beetle wings. Scarabs were an important religious symbol of rebirth and daily awakening in their culture, as well as a means of personal decoration. Ancient earrings and amulets featured iridescent scarab wings that played with light almost as if they were artificially illuminated. The even more intense color and shine of the jewel beetles common in Thailand and India became favorite embellishments for textiles and clothing in the 19th century. Panels of fine fabric were embroidered with spun gold threads and jewel beetle wings in India before being shipped to Europe to be sewn into mesmerizing ball gowns. The famous beetle wing gown worn by the Victorian actress Ellen Terry in a performance of Macbeth was recently restored to its fullest glory after 1300 hours of handwork completed by the UK’s National Trust. It now looks just as marvelous as when John Singer Sargent painted it in 1889. The ambitious and dedicated restoration proves our undying appreciation for the glint of nature’s iridescence. January 2014 |
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