A Silk Painting about a very special Place - Machu Picchu in Peru

As the next post will be about Peruvian textile art I am re-writing this post from a long time ago. Machu Picchu has always been a mysterious and magical place for me and I cannot get enough from listening and watching all sorts of documentations regarding this sacred place. To visit this spot in reality must be an incredible experience where already due to lack of oxygen the sucseptibility to spiritualism probably grows noticably. How could this place leave anyone untouched?

The silk painting Machu Picchu belongs to the Magic Symbols Series. I love the warm colours and the golden ornaments leave a feeling of preciousness. Even if you choose an art print instead of the original it will leave the same feeling as I use to add gold pigments by hand after the printing process to all prints where the original has been painted accordingly with gold metallic pigments.

Machu Picchu is truly a magical place, an archeological site which still holds many secrets. Thousands of tourists undertake each year an incredibly exhausting trip to this place which is not easy to reach as it is hidden high in the mountains of the Andes. 

"Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). Often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas", it is perhaps the most familiar icon of the Inca World.
The Incas started building the estate around AD 1400 but it was abandoned as an official site for the Inca rulers a century later at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Although known locally, it was unknown to the outside world before being brought to international attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction.
Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Since it was not plundered by the Spanish when they conquered the Incas, it is especially important as a cultural site and is considered a sacred place." (from wikipedia)"

Whatever might turn out to be the real purpose of Machu Picchu - there is no doubt that this is a place full of magic and an incredible aura. Until today artefacts are found at this site and may lead to new discoveries.

"Machu Picchu"
40" x 13" 

silk, stitched

The ancient golden ornaments certainly add a special touch to the historical city and dreams about the lost treasures of the Inca people...

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Dreams of 1001 Nights and still alive

What do you think about ethnic interior?
I can only say I love it and will always love it. It tells you stories about foreign countries and their people, about their cultures and about their way of living. It can build bridges over time and space, bring back memories of happy times, even spurt your interest in growing your knowledge about all these beautiful objects which have been and still are created on this world. Ethnic interior is inspirational and you can always combine it with modern and/or classic interior.

It can create a very special aura and will reflect your personality if the objects are authentic, which means you should have been at least in contact with those foreign cultures in one way or other and not collected it simply from a retailer. Fakes do neither have a soul nor do they spread the magic of travelling memories. It is just not enough to have a bamboo table from a superstore in your living room to become reminiscent of  a culture that has been cultivated for thousands of years. If you cannot afford the real thing leave it out. Plastics just don't do it.

Back to my favourite ethnics: Moroccan.
The following photo is from one of my favourite books Moroccan Interiors and I could drool over it again and again. I chose one of the more simple rooms featured there and had to add virtually two of my ethnic paintings which depict motifs from the Sahara. They are from the Magic Symbols series.

(click to enlarge the image)

(original image source "Moroccan Interiors", TaschenVerlag 1995)

The paintings are painted on silk and reflect the rock paintings that have been found in the Tassili N'Ajjer, which is a part of the Sahara and belongs to Algeria. The size of the Tassili is twice the size of Switzerland and is one of the largest national parks of the world. Unfortunately it is not easy to access due to the political situation.

These cave and rock paintings are so fascinating because they seem to be timeless. Although thousands of years old they reveal a modern elegance and have been inspirational to countless artists.

Tassili I, Tassili II
(from the Magic Symbols series) 

40" x 13" each, silk

©Petra Voegtle

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Machu Picchu - a Silk Painting about a magical Place

This silk painting Machu Picchu belongs to the Magical Symbols Series. I love the warm colours - just the right thing to warm up your room when the temperatures start to go down again at this time of the year.
Machu Picchu is truly a magical place, an archeological site which still holds many secrets. Thousands of tourists undertake each year an incredibly exhausting trip to this place which is not easy to reach as it is hidden high in the mountains of the Andes. 

"Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). Often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas", it is perhaps the most familiar icon of the Inca World.
The Incas started building the estate around AD 1400 but it was abandoned as an official site for the Inca rulers a century later at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Although known locally, it was unknown to the outside world before being brought to international attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction.
Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Since it was not plundered by the Spanish when they conquered the Incas, it is especially important as a cultural site and is considered a sacred place." (from wikipedia)"

Whatever might turn out to be the real purpose of Machu Picchu - there is no doubt that this is a place full of magic and an incredible aura. Until today artefacts are found at this site and may lead to new discoveries.

"Machu Picchu"
(from the Magic Symbols Series)
40" x 13", silk

The ancient golden ornaments certainly add a special touch to the historical city and dreams about the lost treasures of the Inca people...

~

A Dining Room with Magic

I like this dining room. I like the materials of the accessories and I like the colours. I like the simplicity of this room. There is no schnickschnack, no redundant decoration. This room is perfect to have a nice dinner with your husband/wife and your best friends.
What I missed though in the original composition is a little extra for the visual senses, a tiny touch of exotic, a reminiscence perhaps of travelling to foreign countries, memories...

I would always try to give a room a very small but special attraction, just in order to tease the senses and so I would replace the original painting by this one, Maya, a silk painting that talks of ancient cultures, of secrets that may never be fully unsealed.

In my opinion it is a mistake to hang a painting or any other object d'art in a room with the same subject i.e. I would never hang an image about food in a dining room - honestly that is quite boring. It would be equally boring to hang a nude in the bedroom. Where is the fun then? And what do YOU think about this?

    original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com

You can find more detail photos in my last post if you like and read a bit about the Maya and their culture.

"Maya"
(from the Magic Symbols Series)
40" x 13", silk
©Petra Voegtle

As usual the silk painting has been gallery wrapped (stapled on the back not on the sides) and can be hung immediately with or without additional frame.

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Maya and the Tree of Life - a recurring Symbol in all Cultures

Ancient Maya believed in recurring cycles of creation and destruction. They had a very precise view of how earth and heaven was built up in layers and where trees were supposed to support the sky. The painting is showing Pacal Votan* descending the tree of life.

"Known as a magician of time, he understood mathematics, or numbers, as a type of language that transcends the subjectivity of human verbal experience. His sentiment "All is number. *God is a number. God is in All." is an intriguing way to catalogue the Maya's message that we are intimately linked with and informed by the Galaxy. All of life is ordered by the same basic, re-occurring patterns." (from www.13moon.com)

"Mayan science was not separate from their religion, for they embraced the microcosm of the atom and the macrocosm of the infinite. Their universal philosophy teaches us that "the human body belongs to the earth, and the human spirit to the Universe." The Maya understood human existence as "nothing less than a faithful reflection of cosmic energy." As manifestations of cosmic consciousness, the Maya regarded all things and beings that exist on Earth as products of the projection of energy in the form of vibration. Their world view is a paradigm based on wave harmonics and resonant fields. The Mayan sages were aware of the sensory and extrasensory characteristics of trees and plants, and, understanding that the tree is the best regenerator of the air we breath, revered the tree." (from www.13moon.com)

For the Maya the tree of life represented the world center, it constituted a symbolic vertical line uniting the three realms of underworld, earth and heaven. The Mayan considered the Milky Way itself as the world tree especially at the time when Sagittarius was well over the horizon and the Milky Way rose up from the horizon and climbed overhead into the North. The star clouds that form the Milky Way were seen as the tree of life where all life came from.

"Maya"
(from the Magic Symbols Series)
40" x 13", silk
©Petra Voegtle

Btw - the hieroglyphs have no meaning - in order not to touch any copyright laws I simply took the single known hieroglyphs, re-painted them and combined them deliberately...

*Pacal Votan was the sage-king of the Maya. He lived from 603 - 683 AD

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Celts - a Silk Painting of a Magical Place

There are thousands of magical places on this world and only very few I have seen myself. Stonehenge was one of them at a time - some decades ago - where tourism did not overflow the whole area yet and where they did not request yet astronomical entry fees and where the stones were not fenced from any touch yet. But times change...

Stonehenge has always been a fascinating motif for painters and poets and will remain so as long as it exists. I could not withdraw from its spell myself and so this painting on silk Celts became part of the Magic Symbols series. If you would like to know more about the painting please read here.

"Celts"
(from the Magic Symbols Series)
silk, 40" x 13"
©Petra Voegtle

(sold)

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Please check the following links if you would like to see the impact in a room with a painting such as this:  interior1, interior2, interior3, interior4

A Bedroom with warm Colours and a Mystery on the Wall

This bedroom looks wonderful with its warm colours. I love cozy bedrooms. The magnificent bed with its breathtaking headpiece just adds the right touch to a romantic feeling. What about dreaming here of an amorous time travel back into the Italy of the 19th century into one of these ancient palazzi? A room such as this could be very inspirational...

Normally I am not a friend of ruffles but used in a decent way as in this room they are a perfectly matching decor and by far not as decadent as the interiors of those ancient palazzi.

The original painting on the wall was also a good match but I would add a bit more mystery of course, a touch of ancient lives and a bit more exotic scenery. So I virtually replaced the original painting with this silk painting/collage of Machu Picchu from the Magic Symbols series.

  original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com

The series of the Magic Symbols describes the icons and secrets of ancient cultures mankind has surrounded himself since the beginning of time. The single images are multi-layered, each telling different stories about the human past, the beliefs, the fears, the longing for protection and hopes for a fullfilled life. No matter how old thoses symbols are and from which region of the world they come from and what they stand for - they keep returning from century to century, from one language to another.

While the landscapes of the ancient cultures might have changed due to climatic or socio-political transformations their heritage has not. They left us the fundaments of human civilization.

"Machu Picchu"
(from the Magic Symbols Series) 

40" x 13", silk

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Dark Rooms

In the meanwhile I have seen a lot of images about interior design and one point really sticks out - many rooms are incredibly dark, especially hallways. I would like to know what the reason for this is. I could possibly understand this in geographical regions where sunlight is abundant but still I could not stand dark rooms, even less in areas where the winters are long and dark.

The design of this hallway is harmonious but very dark especially as the adjacent rooms seem to be dark as well unless this has been photographed in the evening but I doubt it. The illuminated graphics on the wall cannot really lighten this space up, the pottery - although wonderful - adds to the sinister feel I would have in this room.

In order to show how paintings can make a difference in similar rooms such as this one I added these silk paintings virtually, in order to add a bit of colour and another feeling to a dark room.

original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com

The two collages/paintings belong to the Magical Symbols series and are painted on silk. They are also stitched to add more texture.

"Minoans I and II"
(from the Magic Symbols series) 
40" x 13" each, silk
©Petra Voegtle

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If you would like to see details of these paintings, Minoans I and II please see this link and this link.

Some Mysteries and a cozy Retreat...

Isn't this strange? While I was very young history has never interested me much besides ancient buildings, ruins, fortresses which can be a great inspirational source for a child or teenager. I have always loved to read stories which take place in ancient sceneries full of secrets and mysteries. Maybe this was the spark for this series of Magic Symbols which I painted just a few years ago. Memories of childhood fantasies. I really don't know.

What I do know now is that I love this kind of bedrooms, a cozy retreat from every day's stress and duties. Light colours to re-fill soul and energy.

The silk painting on the wall is Qumran, from the Magic Symbols series. Click on the link and you can see more details about this series. Qumran is an ancient place from the days of the Second Temple on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. It became famous since 1947 when a number of ancient manuscripts were found in nearby caves. Today these manuscripts are known as the Dead Sea Scrolls.

original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com

Qumran
(from the Magic Symbols series)
40" x 13" silk
©Petra Voegtle
.

I am adding here an example of how this silk painting could be framed (as shown in the ambiente above). The richness of this gilded wooden frame adds to the colours and enhances the subject I believe:

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Breaking the Order

You may have seen this perfectly styled room probably a couple of times. It has been published in various magazines. I love the composition, the clean graphical lines, it's light and order. Everything seems to be at the right place. And that's my problem with this room.
For me it looks like the showroom in an extravagant designer store and I am missing the personal touch - that kind of touch that shows me that someone is actually living here.

So if this were my room I would go and break up the order, add something personal, add a painting that contains movement and adds life - just as this silk painting Tassili I, inspired by the cave paintings and engravings that have been found in the Algerian desert. Isn't this a humorous oxymoron??

If you want to know more about the painting check this link

I apologize - cannot find the original image source

Tassili I
(from the Magic Symbols series)
40" x 13" silk
©Petra Voegtle

The Minoans in the Hallway...

The painting that hangs in the original image source on the same place disappears a bit behind the plant and is too neutral for my feeling. I think this elegant hallway deserves artwork that is a bit more prominent.

Also I thought that the delicate art deco style of the entrance door and the filigree stair railing would be complemented nicely by the two delicate silk paintings which start to shimmer when light is on them. But again this is only a potential scenario and does not want to diminish the intent of the original interior designer or home owner.

If you would like to know more about these paintings, Minoans I and II please see this link and this link.

original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com

"Minoans I and II"
(from the Magic Symbols series)
40" x 13" each, silk
©Petra Voegtle
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Colour Spots on empty Walls...

These empty walls scream for some colour spots - don't you think? Starting a private little gallery, collecting art for your own enjoyment - wouldn't that be an idea?

I thought the cave paintings on silk would fit perfectly into a room that has a style reminiscent somehow of a modern villa that could easily be found in one of those terrific national parks of South Africa, ready to start a photography safari from.

The paintings belong to a series that is called Magic Symbols. The silk paintings themselves are Lascaux, Tassili I and Tassili II. Details can be found here.

original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com

From left to right:
Tassili II, Lascaux, Tassili I
(from the Magic Symbols series)
40" x 13" each, silk
©Petra Voegtle

The Magic of Machu Picchu in the Bedroom...

Well - this is only a part of a showroom and people may not have floors like that in their own home but nevertheless it shows beautifully how matching colours and the elegance of simplicity of form can build up a magnificent composition.
This silk painting Machu Picchu may send you dreams you have never dreamt, dreams of adventure, discovery and the secrets of ancient cultures...

original image source from http://www.homesolute.com

"Machu Picchu"
(from the Magic Symbols Series)
silk, 40" x 13"

The Charm of old Walls and ancient Motifs

In one of my later posts I talked about the charm of old walls. This is another example. While I wrote about two silk paintings from the Magic Symbols series and ancient Minoan culture in my German blog I am showing here how wonderfully these paintings would harmonize with the old walls of this room.

Details about these silk paintings can be found here or click on the photos below.

original image source from http://www.forum-dueren.de

"Minoans I and II"
(from the Magic Symbols series)
40" x 13", silk
©Petra Voegtle

And what would you say about an interior design that is nearly 4000 years old? Doesn't these images reveal a charm that could be originated in any contemporary grand mansion? But these images come from the grand palace in Knossos on Kreta:

(from http://www.historywiz.com/minoanarchitecture.html)

( from http://www.antikefan.de)

Ancient Cultures in a modern Living Room...

Silk paintings about ancient cultures fit very well into a modern interieur. When we think of even much older art such as the cave paintings which have been found in Australia we realize that their forms seem to be timeless.

original image source from Schütz Flechtwerke, French catalogue, 1999

Silk Paintings in an old Moroccan City Villa...

You know my faible for Moroccan interior. It's the earth colours that make me feel so very well and I think many other people feel the same. So I played again and mounted my silk paintings into this lovely interior...
Check them out on my website if you like

Original image source from "Moroccan Interiors", Taschen Verlag 1995

Machu Picchu in a Study...

This is quite a colour intense study. Still the silk painting on the wall, Machu Picchu, would be a nice complementary object. Interesting was, that the original image showed a similar, abstract painting with similar red hues...
Clck here for the details of the silk painting.

original image source from Schütz Flechtwerke, French catalogue, 1999