as OTTOLINE DIVINE goes-

Baron de Meyer Portrait 1907

The Ottoline Divine Story endeavored here means creating a mood-an aesthetic- that Ottoline would like, love actually, and thrive in.
One of the central inspirations is her Memoirs and letters. I have a small beautifully put together book of letters-correspondence between Ottoline and the Poet, D'Arcy Cresswell called  Dear Lady Ginger,  edited by Helen Shaw.

Michelangelo's Profile with Oriental Headdress in Sanguine

Ottoline was a copious correspondent-Always writing in a Signature ink color- Sanguine -on paper described in Dear Lady Ginger as a pale tinted quality paper with a printed letterhead of the Gower Street, London, address.

Along with this- a description of her hand writing- " The Many Capitals, an inseparable part of Lady Ottoline's handwriting in her letters."

A Copy of Ottoline's Flourishes of  Script

Though I can not duplicate her exuberance, I have experimented with different fonts and the current one I've used is  Reenie Beenie. There are a number of options and I have changed it several times hoping to create the most authentic style.


There is a reason for it all- the BackGround of the Page is a greyed Orchid- taking cues from the colors preferred by women in their dress prior to World War I. The colors in the de Meyer Portrait Of OTTOLINE reflect this preference.  After the Great War, these colors continued to be used along with the addition of jewel tones-ruby, emerald, topaz and amethyst. Ottoline's own color preferences  would broaden as the times changed too-yet She would never abandon her very Original style-whether it be an ink color or a skirt length.

Another de Meyer autochrome portrait from 1908 of Tamara Karsavina reflect the same colors I've favored in the presentation of OTTOLINE DIVINE.
I adore this portrait and the Era and the Story of OTTOLINE DIVINE-I hope you are enjoying the Journey too.