lunedì 25 ottobre 2021

‘Snapp-Apple Night’ or ‘All-Hallow Eve, in Ireland’ by Daniel Maclise, 1833.

 

Snapp-Apple Night or All-Hallow Eve in Ireland by Daniel Maclise, 1833.


This painting was inspired by a Halloween celebration Maclise attended at Blarney in County Cork in 1832. It depicts some of the traditional activities of Halloween gatherings, many of which remained popular and were practised across Britain throughout the Victorian period and for all the XXth century.
The name of the painting is taken from the game of 'snap-apple’ which is played in the centre of the image. For the game, apples and lit candles were placed on sticks suspended from the ceiling which were then made to spin around. Players had to snap at the apples with their teeth and attempt to catch one while avoiding the flames and hot wax dripping from the candles. 


In the foreground youngsters can be seen bobbing for apples and coins in a tub of water, while the children in the corner embody the mischievous nature of the night by playing pranks on the musicians, including trying to tickle the fiddle player with a piece of straw and puncture the piper’s bagpipes with a pin.


The people gathered around the fire are all performing different divination rituals, which were an integral part of 19th century Halloween celebrations. The standing couple has placed two nuts on a shovel ready to put them on the fire to see how they burn to predict the nature of their future life together. The old woman is using a deck of cards to read the fortunes of the boy and girl behind her. The girl next to her is performing molybdomancy - pouring molten lead through the loop of a key into a bucket of water to create metal shapes which could then be interpreted to find out the future profession of the person holding the key. The woman holding the shoe is trying to divine its wearer’s character and the girl next to her is reading the boy’s future from his hands.




Our time is coming to its end, 
Dearest Friends and Readers of mine,
it always passes too fast to me, alas! 
and while greeting you with a warm hug, 
I wish you a beautiful Halloween filled with joy and happiness.





"Snapp-Apple Night" o "All-Hallow Eve in Ireland", dipinto di Daniel Maclise datato 1833



IMMAGINE 1 - Snapp-Apple Night o All-Hallow Eve in Ireland, dipinto di Daniel Maclise datato 1833.


Questo dipinto è stato ispirato da una celebrazione di Halloween cui Maclise ebbe a partecipare a Blarney, nella Contea di Cork, nel 1832. In esso troviamo raffigurate le principali attività tradizionali che avevano luogo durante i raduni per celebrare Halloween in Irlanda, molte delle quali rimasero popolari e furono praticate in tutta la Gran Bretagna per tutto il periodo vittoriano e fino all'intero XX° secolo.
Il nome del dipinto è tratto dal gioco "snap apple" che si svolge al centro dell'immagine: mele e candele accese venivano poste su ciascuna estremità di bastoncini sospesi in orizzontale appesi al soffitto che venivano poi fatti ruotare. I giocatori dovevano spezzare le mele con i denti e tentare di prenderne una evitando le fiamme e la cera calda che gocciolava dalle candele. 


IMMAGINE 2 - Dettaglio


In primo piano si possono vedere i ragazzi che cercano di prendere con la bocca mele e monete immerse in una vasca d'acqua, mentre i bambini nell'angolo incarnano la natura maliziosa della notte facendo scherzi ai musicisti, incluso il tentativo di solleticare il violinista con un pezzo di paglia e forare le cornamuse del pifferaio con uno spillo.


IMMAGINE 3 - Dettaglio


Le persone riunite intorno al fuoco stanno tutte eseguendo diversi rituali di divinazione, che erano parte integrante delle celebrazioni di Halloween nel XIX° secolo. La coppia in piedi ha messo due noci su una pala pronta a metterle sul fuoco per vedere come bruciano al fine di poter predire la natura della loro futura vita insieme. La donna anziana seduta sta usando un mazzo di carte per leggere le sorti del ragazzo e della ragazza dietro di lei. La ragazza accanto a lei sta eseguendo la "molibdomia": essa consisteva nel versare piombo fuso attraverso l'anello di una chiave in un secchio d'acqua; le forme metalliche che venivano a definirsi dovevano essere interpretate per scoprire la futura professione della persona che stava tenendo la chiave in mano. Infine la donna che tiene la scarpa sta cercando di indovinare il carattere di chi la indossa e la ragazza accanto a lei sta leggendo il futuro del ragazzo dalle sue mani.


IMMAGINE 4 - Dettaglio



Anche quest'oggi il nostro tempo sta volgendo al termine,
Carissimi Amici e Lettori, passa sempre troppo in fretta per me, purtroppo, 
e mentre vi saluto con un caloroso abbraccio, 
vi auguro un bellissimo Halloween colmo di gioia e felicità.



36 commenti:

  1. I didn't know any of this. What a wonderful history lesson.

    Thank you for joining the Awww Mondays Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Awww Monday and week, Daniela. Big hug. ♥

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Sandee
      It's always a privilege to me to have you here and to read your nice words of appreciation, thank you!
      Enjoy your weekend Dearie ❥

      Elimina
  2. That was interesting. Happy Halloween!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. pilch92
      I'm sincerely glad to welcome you at ~ My little old world ~, thank you and Happy Halloween to you too •ღ❤ღ•

      Elimina
  3. I LOVE that painting! Thanks for describing all the details!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Mary,Jo Jo,Komo,Cinnamon & Angel Nellie
      You're such a numerous family, thank you for stopping by and for commenting with your so lovely words of enjoyment.
      Happy Halloween, new friends of mine ☆:*♡*:☆

      Elimina
  4. Such a lovely painting! So much visual interest to be seen as the eyes wander around the canvas. So much to learn, too, as I read your fascinating and new to me, facts re Halloween in the 1800's. Here in Australia, Halloween isn't as celebrated as in other parts of the world. I wonder, Dany...do you have your costume ready for the festivities?? =)

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Kim
      Dear, lovely Lady, in Italy it's not celebrated, maybe during the last few years is more known than in the past, when I was a girl people didn't even know what it was!!!
      We do celebrate with solemnity the day after, All Saints is a national festivity to us.
      Sending blessings on your weekend,
      with utmost gratitude for being always so sweet and so supportive ༺❀༻

      Elimina
  5. Hello Dany

    Such interesting old customs and traditions displayed in this painting and in your explanations of it. I'm sure these were many of the ways ways people entertained themselves in a fun way during those olden times. It is also interesting how the custom of Halloween is now shared all around the world.

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Pat
      Ciao cara amica,
      Thank you for your so beautiful visit and for writing your nice words of amusement which let me know that you've read this article of mine with interest, thank you!
      Wishing you a blessed end of your week *•¸♥♥¸•*

      Elimina
  6. That painting had so much detail. Thank you for interpreting it and sharing your knowledge of Halloween activities.

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Fun60
      I welcome you with a big hug, thank you for your nice visit!
      Yes, this painting is filled with all the most ancient Halloween tradition which were proper of Ireland folklore, that's why I thimnk it to be so interesting, it gave me the chance to share them with us!
      ஜ Wishing you a Merry Halloween night ஜ

      Elimina
  7. What fascinating things they did for All Hallow's Eve. Thank you for sharing this!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. messymimi
      It's my pleasure and delight, I heartily thank you Dearie!
      May your weekend be blessed with Joy ✿⊰✽⊱✿

      Elimina
  8. ...a jolly time! As a boy I remember bobbing for apples. Enjoy the autumn fun.

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Tom
      I'm always far glad to have you here, thank you for writing interesting words and for sharing your experience, all festivity were much more beautiful when lived as children, alas!
      Sending hugs across the many miles, my friend •ಌ•❀•ಌ•

      Elimina
  9. Risposte
    1. Azka Kamil
      I heartily thank you both for your visit and for your so welcome words of appreciation!
      May your weekend be the happiest ever ✥*⊰♥⊱*✥

      Elimina
  10. That certainly was fascinating!

    Happy Wednesday, Daniela.

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Veronica Lee
      FASCINATING, that's the right word to describe what I also thought when I first saw this so lovely painting, I felt charmed by everything I saw depicted in it and thus decided to write this article, thank you for writing this so beautiful word!
      ♥♡♥ Happy weekend, dear friend ♥♡♥

      Elimina
  11. Thanks for decoding this interesting painting!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Michele Morin
      It is I who thank you for gracing my Blog today, precious friend of mine!
      Sending blessings on the end of your week,
      with sincere gratitude ⊰✽*Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ*✽⊱

      Elimina
  12. What fascinating traditions. I love the paintings you shared. They have such energy!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Jeanie
      ancient traditions are all fascinating, aren't they?
      And to find a painting showing all those belonging to Irish folklore, well, gave me such a chance I didn't want to loose!
      Sending my dearest love to you
      while wishing you a most happy Halloween evening ♡❤♡

      Elimina
  13. Ho scoperto Halloween alle Medie ( tempo ormai lontano, anni '70)grazie ad una fantastica insegnante di inglese che teneva molto alla "civiltà"anglosassone;certamente non fa parte della nostra tradizione, ma è sempre bello un motivo per un momento di gioia, di divertimento, di colore, dettato dal cuore, senza eccessi e con buon gusto.
    Un dolcetto speciale, un sacchettino di arancione vestito, una zucca a crochet... e si spera in un sorriso, anzichè uno scherzetto!!
    Interessantissimo il post, il dipinto mostra nei minimi particolari il momento di festa...ma c'era da augurarsi che nessuno si scottasse!
    Grazie, Dany, di avermi cercata!... Ti ho risposto sul blog!
    Un saluto colmo d'affetto
    Franca

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Franca
      Sono io che ti devo ringraziare, come sempre le tue bellissime parole arricchiscono il mio Blog con dolcezza ed eleganza!
      Ti ho cercata ed ho cominciato a preoccuparmi seriamente quando ho scoperto che non avevo mezzi per trovarti. Poi finalmente ho visto che c'era il 'work in progress' ed allora mi sono rasserenata!
      Ti abbraccio forte come non mai,
      grazie ancora e sempre ∗⊱༺♡❀♡༻⊰∗

      Elimina
  14. Oh my that snap apple game sounds a little scary to play, I think the chance of getting hot wax poured on me would persuade me not to try that game. Love all the pictures of time past and what they did, very interesting!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Conniecrafter
      I always welcome you with a big hug, you're such a kind hearted lady!
      Thank you for your words, I hope this reading was compelling to you and with sincere admiration,
      I'm sending my best wishes for a jolly Halloween *♥*

      Elimina
  15. I'm glad we don't use lighted candle games and molten lead in our Halloween customs!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Linda
      well that game is scary to me too!
      But I so love all the divinations they did beside the fire, that's the part of the painting and of the Irish ancient traditions which charm me so, so much!
      ♡ஐ♡ Enjoy your Halloween night, Dearie ♡ஐ♡

      Elimina
  16. Risposte
    1. Louca por porcelana
      Thank you for your so wonderful visit and for having decided to follow me, as well, I'm sincerely proud of it!
      In the hope you too had a lovely evening and night of Halloween,
      I'm sending hugs and more hugs to you!
      Have a great new week sweet friend ❀≼♥≽❀

      Elimina
  17. That was a very well written and interesting post. Thank you for sharing. I hope you are having a wonderful new week. Take care and I always enjoy my visits here with you. Many blessings to you.

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Anne M.Robinson
      I'm always far happy when I can welcome you here, dearest friend of mine, thank you for your so beautiful visit and words!
      May you too be greatly blessed in the new week ❥

      Elimina
  18. How interesting! I am Irish and found this very fun to read! Hope yo had a Happy Halloween. Thanks for sharing Vintage Charm. xo Kathleen

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Kathleen
      thank you for gracing my blog today, I'm sincerely honored by having you here!
      As an Irish I suppose you've found in this painting and in its meaning something more than us... Thank you for your words of enjoyment!
      In the hope your week is off to a great start, I'm sending blessings across the many miles on your coming days ✿⊰✽⊱✿

      Elimina

I THANK YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AND WORDS, SO PRECIOUS TO ME.