Peter J. Spoerer

27/12/2025

27/12/2025

Top hats and tailcoats
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Two gentlemen in top hats and tailcoats appear high above the ground.
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While the one on the right seems somewhat pensive, the one on the left appears exuberant and in a celebratory mood.
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They could be two ball attendees. Dressed in tailcoats and top hats, they are perhaps waiting for the start of a grand ball where formal attire is required and considered appropriate.
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The two are part of a very elaborate facade design for a large fashion house.
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We are between the holidays, and the New Year’s Eve parties will soon begin.
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I continue down Rue de St. Honoré in Paris at night and wish you all a relaxing weekend before the upcoming New Year!
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24/12/2025

Merry Christmas
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I’m continuing my stroll along the Rue de St. Honoré in Pais at night.
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I wish you all a merry and restful Christmas!
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You have showered me with your comments throughout the year.
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It is a great gift for me to feel connected to all of you.
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Thank you so much for the attention, the affection, the kindness, the many suggestions, and the motivation you have all given me.
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I am pleased that we are exchanging ideas across many national borders.
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For me, this is also a sign of hope for understanding and peace on our planet.
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Faith, love, hope, respect for the dignity of every human being, and a sense of responsibility for creation are central values ​​for me.
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Unfortunately, I am getting the impression today that “gods” have been increasingly replaced by worldly idols that act and rule solely driven by greed for power and money.
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Personal advantage and the desire for recognition are paramount.
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Let us hope that this is merely a phase in humanity’s history that will be overcome as quickly as possible!
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My greatest Christmas wish is for a peaceful world that prioritizes the preservation of our planet and humanity as a creative community.
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Photo Peter J. Spoerer © All rights reserved
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22/12/2025

Christmas in Paris - Rue de St. Honoré
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I usually came to Paris for the fabric fair and to gather new inspiration.
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Always in a rush and usually with very little time.
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This time it’s not for work, and it’s my first time back in many years and during Christmas time. It’s nice to revisit familiar places, like this street.
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The Rue Saint Honoré, with its many renowned boutiques of the world’s leading fashion brands, was a must-see, as were the Grand Magasins—the two major department stores in Paris.
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I’m amazed by how Paris is decorated for Christmas and celebrates itself as the center of fashion and indulgence.
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“Bows” have always been a popular symbol with many meanings.
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At Christmastime, one immediately thinks of gifts. In Paris, they adorn many streets.
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Countless LED lights imitate the legendary bouclé fabric of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel and wrap the Maison like a gift. In the center of the bow is a detail reminiscent of the ironic buttons of the famous suit that “Coco” Chanel presented at the opening of her Paris fashion salon in 1954.
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I continue my stroll and take you with me on my nighttime walk through pre-Christmas Paris:
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Photo Peter J. Spoerer © All rights reserved
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I wish you all a wonderful Wochenende mit viel Vorfreude auf die anstehenden Feiertage.
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20/12/2025

Velvet and Gold
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Strips of velvet on a guild brocade background for a festive costume, based on historical designs, as often worn at city festivals in Italy.
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We see the wooden looms and the talented and diligent weavers at work.
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A brief glimpse behind the scenes at the Fondazione Lisio, which is dedicated to weaving and preserving historical velvet and silk brocades.
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The foundation not only provides training but also restores valuable historical fabrics.
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Precious silks, often used as wall hangings, are cleaned of the grime of time, often caused by candle soot, and repaired to shine anew.
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It is always a wonderful and unique experience for me to be able to visit this place and gain insights into this fascinating work.
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Fine fabrics and their evolution never cease to amaze me.
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The beginning of any fabric creation is always the fabric itself. Only then comes the shape, the cut, the selection of materials and other accessories, and finally the ex*****on.
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Thank you for the warm welcome and for the opportunity to share these insights with me.
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Photo Peter J. Spoerer © All rights reserved
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I wish you all a wonderful Wochenende mit viel Vorfreude auf die anstehenden Feiertage.
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14/12/2025

Velvet brocade at the Fondazione Lisio, Florence
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A beautiful velvet that shimmers in gorgeous shades of green against a golden brocade background.
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This iridescent play of colors is not only a feast for the eyes.
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Running your fingers over this exquisite velvet, the softness and density of this handwoven, cut velvet is simply indescribable and a truly special experience.
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It is always a great pleasure for me to visit the Fondazione Lisio in Florence.
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Thank you for the warm welcome.
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A visit is always a particularly great pleasure.
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Photo Peter J. Spoerer © All rights reserved
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I wish you all a wonderful and relaxing Sunday!
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Florence
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06/12/2025

The Silk Weavers at the Fondazione Lisio, Florence
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Precious fabrics always make my heart beat faster.
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It was therefore a very special experience to be able to watch the silk weavers at the Fondazione Lisio in Florence at work.
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Working on the wooden looms requires craftsmanship, skill, patience, and especially concentration to weave the repeats of the silk jacquards.
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In the photos, we see a velvet jacquard being woven. The fineness of the warp threads, i.e., the threads that run lengthwise in the fabric, as seen in photo 3, is fascinating.
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Silk is a very fine, yet very tear-resistant material that even surpasses steel.
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In photo 3, we see the work being done on the wooden loom.
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Thank you for the warm welcome.
A visit is always a particularly great pleasure.
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Photo Peter J. Spoerer © All rights reserved
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I wish you all a wonderful Wednesday!
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Florence

30/11/2025

Santissima Annunziata
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We are looking at the Roman Catholic Church of Santissima Annunziata, which also gives the square its name.
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Photos 1 and 2: The church, originally expanded in the 13th century, was rebuilt in its present form in the first half of the 15th century (Photos 1 and 2).
The porch of the so-called “Chiostrino dei Voti” (Cloister of the Vows) was extended into a seven-arched loggia by the Pucci family in 1601.
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Photo 3: Before entering the loggia, visitors see the Pucci family coat of arms inlaid in the floor.
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Photos 4 and 5: A detail from the fresco by Andrea del Sarto titled “Liberation of the Woman Possessed by the Devil” (1509).
While the unfortunate woman struggles to free herself from the evil spirit, sensation-seeking onlookers, though gripped by terror, cannot tear their eyes away from the scene, but at least these gawkers aren’t in anyone’s way.
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Photo 6: But there are other curious spectators in the gallery, as we see in photo 6. A monk looks up from his reading and glances down into the loggia.
Photo 7: Inside the Loggia.
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Photo 8: Shows a view of the loggia from Piazza Annunziata.
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Photo 9: A brief glimpse into the Oratory of Saint Sebastian, the original church of the adjacent monastery, dating back to 1082, where the founders of the order took their vows.
In 1460, this chapel, which came into the possession of the Pucci family, was remodeled. Damaged by the devastating floods of 1966, it was subsequently extensively restored.
Due to a funeral, I was only able to take a brief look inside during my visit.
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I wish you all a pleasant weekend!
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Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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26/11/2025

In the Clouds
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A day trip from Florence to Arezzo in autumn.
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On the way into the city, I met Ferdinand III of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.
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The grandson of Maria Theresa was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1790 to 1801 and again Grand Duke of Tuscany after the fall of Napoleon, where he died in Florence in 1824.
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He was buried in Florence in the crypt of the Basilica of San Lorenzo.
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Tuscany became part of the newly founded Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
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The history of the countless territorial entities and their interactions—to put it neutrally—that led to the emergence of the modern nation-state is very complex and fascinates me.
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I wish you all a wonderful Wednesday! Head in the clouds, but both feet on the ground. :-)
Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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22/11/2025

Sea Monsters and a Rider
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We are in the Piazza della Santissima Annunziata in Florence, Italy.
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Photo 1: Sea monsters spout water, and in the background we see the equestrian statue of Ferdinand I de‘ Medici.
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Photos 2 and 3: The figures of the „Sea Monster Fountain“ fascinate me with their bizarre design: a mixture of monkey and sea lion.
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At the same time, one can also see the balance and harmony of these Mannerist masterpieces.
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Photos 4 and 5: The faces of the sea monsters appear somewhat frightening.
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The viewer can be relieved that they are busy spewing water and therefore cannot swallow him. :-)
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Photo 6: Ferdinand I de‘ Medici gazes at the dome of the cathedral. Those who look closely can see the unfinished lower part of the dome. The attempt to add a loggia or „cricket cage“ there—as Michelangelo is said to have disparagingly referred to this project—was abandoned in 1512.
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Sea Monster fountains, circa 1627–1641
Artist: Pietro Tacca
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Equestrian statue of Ferdinand I de‘ Medici
Artist: Giambologna, executed primarily by his pupil Pietro Tacca. Cast in 1602, inaugurated in 1608 for the wedding celebrations of Prince Cosimo II and Maria Maddalena of Austria.
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I wish you all a pleasant weekend! - Beware of monsters!
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Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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16/11/2025

Costumes and an aria for the greatest vocal prodigy of all time
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I’m back at the small in the Rotonda del Brunelleschi, the former chapel of the Santa Maria degli Angeli monastery in Florence.
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It’s dedicated to the memory and history of the Medici family.
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Photo 1: Shows an elaborate ruff and lace trim on the décolletage of a fine dress made of luxurious silk jacquard.
Photo 2: Beautiful silk bows with gold metal ends for added embellishment and to finish the cut edges of the ribbons.
Photo 3: An impression of what the dress looks like overall. The lace cuffs on the arms are also visible here.
Photo 4: The neckpiece for the gentleman also appears very elaborate, but in contrast to the ruff, almost casual.
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These exhibits are part of a series of replicas of Medici clothing from the 16th and 17th centuries.
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The aria for the vocal prodigy
Ombra fedele anch’io” is a famous aria from the opera “Idaspe” (1730) by Riccardo Broschi. (* around 1698 in Naples; † 1756 in Madrid)
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This aria achieved fame because it was performed by Carlo Broschi, the famous brother of Riccardo Broschi, better known as the Castor-singing soprano Farinelli, in the role of Dario.
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Farinelli was and is considered perhaps the greatest vocal prodigy of all time. He died at the age of 76 in Bologna.
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I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Museo di Medici and hope you enjoy my post!
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Some of the fabrics on display at are from the silk weaving workshop and foundation , with whom I have a close friendship, and whose fabrics are true masterpieces.
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I wish you all a pleasant Sunday!
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Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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