Lovely Lorgnettes
These fragile Cyclamen flowers bloom every year on a hillside near our home. As I took a second look (no pun intended) at these two beauties of nature, I realized that they resembled Lorgnette glasses.
This bit of lorgnette history is courtesy of Wikipedia....
"From its invention to around the 17th century, corrective eyeglasses were mainly for the use of men. It was not common practice for women to use optical aids unless they were to partake in specific activities or tasks in which they were required to use them such as sewing or reading. Women wearing spectacles in public was also not considered attractive.
Following the introduction and popularisation of the lorgnette, women became more involved with the use of optical aids. The lorgnette enabled women to view their surroundings clearly, but it was also used for social and decorative purposes. A large portion of the social life of European ladies involved the observation of the people around them, especially the attendance of others at events such as opera or theatre. The lorgnette was part of the elegant games of high society. The use of lorgnettes allowed women of high society to easily scrutinize objects of interest without directly facing their subject."
Lovely Lorgnettes
These fragile Cyclamen flowers bloom every year on a hillside near our home. As I took a second look (no pun intended) at these two beauties of nature, I realized that they resembled Lorgnette glasses.
This bit of lorgnette history is courtesy of Wikipedia....
"From its invention to around the 17th century, corrective eyeglasses were mainly for the use of men. It was not common practice for women to use optical aids unless they were to partake in specific activities or tasks in which they were required to use them such as sewing or reading. Women wearing spectacles in public was also not considered attractive.
Following the introduction and popularisation of the lorgnette, women became more involved with the use of optical aids. The lorgnette enabled women to view their surroundings clearly, but it was also used for social and decorative purposes. A large portion of the social life of European ladies involved the observation of the people around them, especially the attendance of others at events such as opera or theatre. The lorgnette was part of the elegant games of high society. The use of lorgnettes allowed women of high society to easily scrutinize objects of interest without directly facing their subject."