Thursday 18 August 2022

Outed: Pipistrello The Rake-shame!

Art Nouveau door hardware in Brussels
A letter came last night

Well, Pipistrello had an unexpected fillip to her self-regard last night, Dear Reader, coming from an unlikely quarter. It seems the good people at the quaint and innocent pastime known as Pinterest have me in their sights and sent a stern letter saying I was in violation of their "Community Guidelines on adult content", no less, and had removed an offending image from my collection! Does this mean your usually rather starchy and sometimes censorious Correspondent is due a rebranding, having been outed as a Rake-shame?* 

René Lalique Peacock pendant, 1901
Avert your gaze from this shameless beauty

As to which among the items on my Art Nouveau board cluttered with Gallé glassware, Archibald Knox pewterware, Lalique jewels, Alphonse Mucha posters and whatnots could be classed as either "Fetish imagery, Vivid sexual descriptions, Graphic depictions of sexual activity or Images of nudity where the poses, camera angles or props suggest pornographic intent", I am unable to judge as the image offered up for my review had been fuzzed out in a considerate act of censorship. Too scandalous and blush-worthy for even my own eyes, evidently, let alone as salacious material for your feasting upon here. So I offer up instead similar companion pieces that rubbed shoulders with the disgraced item. Trigger Alert: NSFW**

Jules August Habert-Dys silver and enamel caviar server, 1905
Covet not this scandalous caviar server

Should you expect missives in future to be rejoicing in dissipation and licentiousness? At this juncture, I cannot say what may even constitute such branding, so perhaps just watch this space. 

Alphonse Mucha unused Pavilion decoration for the 1900 Paris World Fair, Le Vent Qui Passe, 1899, as a poster
Hide your blushes behind this fan design

Meanwhile, I await with curiosity as to the outcome of the appeal I submitted. How the Pinterest Police shall adjudicate over my entitlement to gather to my virtual bosom an image I'm not allowed to see is rather mysterious. I have also been told to busy myself with tidying up my boards and removing any further violating images of delicious Art Deco jewellery, incroyable tiaras, stunning bonsais, adorable tiny houses and kitchens and glamorous b&w fashion plates before they take "additional action on my account". This Rake-shame has been warned!!

First Paris Air Show, 1909
I may yet scoop up all my lovely images and
Take flight with them from future scandal




* OED: A disreputable or dissolute person; a rogue. Common in the 17th century and due for a refresh in 2022. In the event of a rebranding, I may need to modify my Blogger profile accordingly, lest any innocents stumble into these pages.

** Not Safe For Work. A bit of internet slang I did look up.



Image credits: via Pipistrello's Art Nouveau Pinterest Board


10 comments:

  1. You are in violation of their community guidelines on adult content? Does that mean anybody who blogs, lectures or displays Art Nouveau specimens could be guilty of using fetish imagery, vivid sexual descriptions, graphic depictions of sexual activity or nudity?? Good heavens, I lectured on art nouveau, art deco, surrealism and every other modern style for years and years.

    If I had community guidelines about a computer programme, I would be far more attentive to the evils of racism, sexism and anti-Semitism.

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    1. Dear Hels, you had better keep a bag packed for old pokey in case you still have your salacious lecture materials at home if and when the internet police come knocking at your door! I'm sure you could give a withering critique of the New Puritanism as you defend yourself from the dock :)

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  2. What a pity they don't have anything more worthwhile to complain about and police - Art Nouveau and Art Deco objects d'art - really!!
    I have always felt fortunate to own some little gems from both periods including a much prized piece of Archibald Knox silver. Do I need to lock them away safely from innocent eyes, especially those of my grandchildren.
    They can't be serious.

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    1. Dear Rosemary, the generous me is hoping the reporting of the mystery image was done in error but the cynical me rather expects this is a push to sanitise a space on the internet which seems to have morphed into a shopping mall rather than a pegboard for keeping luscious images. Much better to probably leave these dwindling innocent pastimes to the birds & have the real deal in your hot little hands, as you do, and tell your grandchildren just not to read too much in those stylised tendrils!

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  3. I'm really unable to understand all this. Whilst the world is happy to make fortunes from children endlessly killing on their hand-held toys, others are banning 'The Birth of Venus'.

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    1. You aren't the only one, dear Cro! Thinking about where the world might be heading, the words hell and hand-basket are wanting to intrude.

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  4. .......I will bring a saw to get you, and perhaps Hels, out of that pokey cell dear Pip!
    It will be hidden in a chocolate cake - home made of course - and we'll all go skipping off with a picnic basket and a bottle of chilled bubbly rather than a hand basket from hell, haha!!!!!
    I think your story here has driven me mad perhaps!

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    1. It would almost be worth getting locked up in the clink for the great adventure of you busting us out, dear Mary! How would feast merrily on the tale for evermore!

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  5. IDIOTS!
    MOST LIKELY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE ZERO COUTH!
    AND ARE MIS- INTERRUPTING!
    I AM beginning to dislike more and more this internet and computer nonsense!
    THAT CAVIER VESSEL IS INCREDIBLE!
    I BET IF YOU ASKED ONE OF THEM WHAT THAT WAS THEY WOULD HAVE NO IDEA!
    DO NOT BE GONE...........THATS AN ORDER!
    XOXO
    baci

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    1. I shall not begone from these pages unless the electricity gets switched off for good, dear Contessa, fear not! However, I am going to up sticks from the former funfair known as Pinterest, for, like Instagram, it's become a digital shopping mall rather than host of delicious imagery. But not without sneaking off with all my yummies since they are such good blog fodder, and that may take some time to stuff my trusty carpet bag. The caviar server is already in the bag!!!

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Bats In The Belfry