July 18th 2006
- We celebrated Rembrandt's 400 Birthday in grand style at the Centro. The dress was “extravagant Rembrandtesque” and the response was gorgeous. The kitchen staff did a particularly good job of both the food and the dress. First appearing in ruffs and then in scullery garb that would have done perfectly well in ”The Girl with a Pearl Earring”. They joined the dancing to very great effect.
Avril wore a beautifully made Saskia velvet hat and all necessary to complete the picture. I wore a golden helmet made from a tailored plastic bucket covered with embossing in wax and then sprayed with gold, trimmed with bits of gold paper plates and doylies. Below I turned to the orient for inspiration, wearing trous and cloak that I had bought in Turkey but never worn before.
The cake was a giant Sacker torta with the legend - Rembrandt 400, auguri per a happy return! I made an impassioned speech, forgetting about half of it, but it seemed to go down well. We danced to 17thC pavannes etc. I showed my Rembrandt DVD and the audience was very responsive.
I had prepared a monumental bust of Rembrandt, made from papier-plaster in 6 days, which is little short of a saleable item. It was displayed on the terrace under the laundry arbour with a magnificent wreath, ivy, bay and 25 red roses. The party was such a success we resolved to have a 401st next year but timed for the course after the Palio; two such parties on one course is too much.
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