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Bright Star, Bright Star movie stills, Bright Star set design, John Keat's letter to Fanny Brawne, John Keats, John Keats portrait, Landscape architect Russel Page, Regency clothing, Regency interiors
British Poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne
click for preview…
More behind the scenes and set design here
Gold framed sketch above here
To Fanny Brawne
from John Keats
I cry your mercy -pity -love! -aye, love!
Merciful love that tantalizes not,
One-thoughted, never-wandering, guileless love,
Unmasked, and being seen -without a blot!
O! let me have thee whole, -all -all -be mine!
That shape, that fairness, that sweet minor zest
Of love, your kiss, -those hands, those eyes divine,
That warm, white, lucent, million-pleasured breast, –
Yourself -your soul -in pity give me all,
Withhold no atom’s atom or I die,
Or living on, perhaps, your wretched thrall,
Forget, in the mist of idle misery,
Life’s purposes, -the palate of my mind
Losing its gust, and my ambition blind!
Chemisette
early 19th century
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Spencer jacket
c. 1820
Augusta Auction Oct ’07
Copy of an original letter from John Keats
to Fanny Brawne
c. May 1820
John Keats by Joseph Severn
c. 1819 oil on ivory
Joseph traveled to Rome with Keats, and was with him
when he died there on Febuary 26, 1821
*
Bright Star
Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art–
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature’s patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth’s human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors–
No–yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow’d upon my fair love’s ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever–or else swoon to death.
A meadow in The Gardens of Russel Page
click for additional book photos
*
I’m not sure whether I’m more excited about the carpets of
Spanish blue bells, gorgeous Regency costumes, or the
lovely tones of dark grays, blues and indigo, interjected
by old rosy reds and aquas…
*
Additional information about the poet and film here
I must tell you that I love your virtual & image blog!! Amazing mix of pic’s & so much inspiration!
Regards from Sweden & Agneta
Wonderful post! I really really want to see this movie about a hundred times!
I will be anxiously waiting for this film to be released! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and pointing me to the preview!
I’m looking forward to seeing this movie…it’s coming to our local Indy Film Fest on October 2nd. I’m counting the days! So happy to see your post on it!
Thanks for visiting my blog:)
Stella
A sad ending- but very poetic. I am captivated by your images as always- and I love the Russell Page -that book is heavenly. The letter is beautiful- glad you included it.
So pretty to see the layers of a movie- I am going to see the set design page now- Gaye
A fine tribute to a brilliant film by Campion. Every scene is like a still life, with excellent compostion and colour. A well portrayed, true account tale.
Not to be missed.
The film surpassed my high expectation.
Thanks for the feedback, Paul!
A pleasure. I have for long taken a great interest in Dorothy [an extremely good diarist!] and William Wordsworth – and, to a degree, Coleridge, not to mention John Clare and the two central women in his life; and Emily Bronte. I am late to Keats, tut tut. After reading the reviews of Bright Star I was expecting something special and was not disappointed. Indeed, I was quite taken by it, for reasons that can be found in the reviews, i.e. i need not repeat them here :-). do you know why the film is rated PG?
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