Saayda wrote:
I think that in both cases, the letters in their partially open, non-flat
form are supposed to be interpreted as having already been read
This envelope is a fascinating thing.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/domenico-giuliani-and-his-servant-205778
The main subject of the painting seems to the man and “hidden” in plain
sight are the basic steps to fold a letter…like a step photo diagram with
most of the elements needed to complete a model, in this case an envelope…
The precreasing on the written page
The partially folded envelope
The completed envelope with the (address?) written on it in the
servant/couriers hand….
Rather than producing books with diagrams or individual diagrams being
distributed and possibly lost, destroyed by flooding or fire, here is one
single painting that would probably have been preserved because of the
importance of the individual subject.
I folded the envelope from the diagram and it does not look like the
“almost completed” one in the painting foreground.
It is actually an improvement; as the contents are quite sealed and only
one sheet…
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16726942/DomenicoGiuliani-Reconstruction.jpg
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The envelope in the painting foreground has two layers showing on the
flap/tab, that would mean that that the top border is folded first rather
than second and then the left margin, then fold in half vertically and the
top layer/boarder flap is tucked over behind the left margin flap, then
fold another border down, using the underlying paper as a guide; this
creates the narrow pocket. Then fold up the paper as in step 6 and tuck
into the pocket as described in step 7.
But this leaves the layers open for scrutiny…even if folded from one sheet
or two sheets,
But, if it is folded from one larger rectangle and folded in half, to the
size of the letter in the painting, with the raw edges on the left… then
the written contents are hidden and a layer of paper prevents someone from
holding it up to the light ( to see some words)….regardless of whether the
top border is folded first or second or if the right side of the paper is
folded under the left margin before the top boarder is folded down….ect.
Therefore what appears to be two pages beneath the writers poised to write
hand, may very will be one sheet folded in half….say an 11”x17”?
It’s interesting to note that even today, if you get a notepad or notebook,
that there is a border along the top and a margin on the left.
There is so much information in the painting by inclusion and exclusion.
An inkwell, quills and is that a knife in the foreground? No sealing wax
accoutrements….
I am guessing here, but the way the frilled collars are depicted on the two
people, the man with his high and up and the servants with it low and down.
Do they indicate their status in society?
And what about the pearl on the back of the neck of the servant or is it an
earing…? The servant of a rich person or someone who is delivering “words
of wisdom” “pearls of wisdom”?
And it looks to me as if the servant/courier is leaving..note the left hand
holding the hat and the curtain/tapestry is pulled up, if he were entering
the curtain would look different and the note in the right hand is moving
away and out not handing it to the seated man, if he were entering, the hat
may be in the right hand and the letter in the left. But I digress.
P.S. Has any one ever been able to decifer what is written on the letter in
the painting?
It would be interesting if it were the written text directions on how to
fold an envelope… ;)
Live to Fold,
David
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57177822@N05/
http://origamivisionz.blogspot.com
