Where the Giant Ladies are...

OK, OK! I know...I've been away from my blog for, well...TOO long!! I'm sorry!! I now spend far more time out of the city now than I do in it so somehow the doors are not only physically farther away from me, they are psychologically farther away. But that is no excuse!! Afterall, I have a huge collection of photos of doors so I'll just have to put myself to the task of presenting them to you!

As a 'coming back' door, I thought I would share one that I have always loved and admired. Too bad the photos really do it no justice not only as regards its detail, but as regards its size. These ladies are HUGE!! The only way to photograph this door properly is to be in the middle of the street, but between the middle of the street and this door, there are always parked cars. I have been by this door a multitude of times, each time photographing the door in a different way. Today's presentation is a result of those many visits to see the 'ladies'!!

As is perhaps clear to all of us, these doors are a wonderful example of Art Nouveau. Every detail down from the giant, gracious ladies that frame the door to the smalles details such as the door's handle plate show repeated examples of nature's influence on the designer. Leaves, flower and other natural forms are classic elements in the flowing designs of Art Nouveau, and the typical use and re-use of certain plants such as mistletoe, thistles and horse chestnut leaves.

Signs of years of use and a bit of abuse.

A shot of what it looks like on the other side of the doors! For once, not a disappointment!

One final word, other than assuming that this door dates from the end of the 1800's, I do not know what the building's use was, but there is a monogram over the glass in the door which, if you look closely, you can see is an interlocked H and C.

Colourful Door Monday

Ah, now isn't this a nice blue?! I saw this door from quite a distance and nearly ran to it I was so attracted to it...it was just so inviting!

Though the face above the door is neither happy nor sad, it doesn't turn you away. The flowers around the arch are also delicate and light and inviting. The lines of the door and its windows are tastefully decorative and flowing and are in accordance with the arch that surrounds the door. If I MUST find something unpleasant about this door, it would be the handle. It is unfortunate that they didn't find something with more character and style! Otherwise, in my book, this door is an absolute winner!

Sober but Beautiful

It was a cold, end-of-Winter day when I took these pictures. Nevertheless, I don't know if a sunny sky would have changed the soberness of this door. Either way, the door is beautiful even if, at first appearance, it is somewhat 'timid'. I have no qualms with the brown paint on this door...I can't say whether it would have originally been painted a different color, but I can imagine that it was probably something like this, if not only slightly different.

What I find wonderful about this door is the beveled glass windows!! Sure, they are quite simple...just small rectangles, but they have been framed in such a way as to render the door even more endearing. On each door there is a lower row of three implied windows where, in actuality, only the center rectangle has glass in it; above this row is a row of three windows where the center one is slightly taller than it's surrounding windows, giving the impression that it is trying to pull our eye upward; and finally, above the door is another set of three small windows surrounded by other windows. These are simple elements, but I find them incredibly effective!

In the middle-lower part of each door, there is a Art Nouveau style carving of mistletoe. This mistletoe repeats the theme in the door's arch where mistletoe surrounds the lady's head and flows gently around the top section of the arch. Simple and enchanting!

If you click on the picture of the door handle, a larger version of it will come up in a separate screen. When it does, look closely at the brass plate that goes with the handle...it has small, but simple designs on it...very charming! Speaking of designs, though, I'm not too sure why it was necessary to add the spiral carving in vertical piece that covers the seam of the two doors...Maybe it was put there in anticipation of that part of the door being knicked and scratched by keys when the door is being opened and closed and like that, any small damage won't be so obvious. I don't know, otherwise, why it would be put there. Any ideas?

Cherubs Watching Over

This door is pretty boring...well, in my opinion, REALLY boring...but I do very much like the arch overhead and the sweet little cherubs amongst all the flowers.