Silhouetted figures were very popular before modern photography. Often those black paper cut-outs were the only way to immortalize faces of the ones you loved. Even after photographic images were common, artists continued making silhouettes of lovely ladies and little children. Check out the profile of this smashing 1960’s babe!
The art of paper silhouette cutting has experienced a resurgence over the last few years and is evident in the world of decor. Multiple silhouettes in a tight grouping make an eye-catching display.
I love the way these silhouettes have patterns integrated into the background or foreground to create a funky, updated effect.
Now you can find silhouettes on many decorative items such as pillows, fabric, bookends, even bulletin boards.
Today it’s common to find silhouettes of things other than people, such as animals and trees. And silhouettes are instantly updated by adding color, not just the predictable black and white images we are used to seeing.
And of course, vinyl wall clings of silhouetted chandeliers are particularly popular these days. For more vinyl wall clings, check out my post here.
I have a small collection of silhouettes that I picked up at an antique mall. I use them to decorate my window sills and to hang on a black tabletop tree at Halloween.
A couple of years ago, I went on a local home tour and saw these precious silhouettes in this lady’s hallway. I asked her about them, and she told me she had them done of her children by this silhouette artist that travels around the country handcutting children’s silhouettes. She gave me his name and a few months later, I noticed in the newspaper that this guy was coming a local mall for a weekend. I dragged my then-young children and stood in line for longer than I like to remember. But it was so worth it to get these precious works of art memorializing my girls at a certain time in their lives. Here’s one of them:
Special thanks to Heather from Gathering Spriggs for asking me to guest host on her beautiful blog yesterday! Hope you all have a blessed and beautiful weekend!
Photo Credits: UnderFundedHeiress, Country Living (2, 6), Apartment Therapy (3, 7), Twolia, Mrs. Blandings, Stylehive, StoneBrook Staging 9, 10).
I have new ones of 4 of my grandchildren, probably by the same man who came to the mall..
Got chill bumps with this one. Absolutely love these! They’re so timeless, and a little cryptic. Great post!
I love silhouettes! I’m trying to get a grouping together for my living room. I love LOVE the first silhouette image you posted of the 1960’s babe.
I have my sihouette made by the famous silhouette artist Cindi Harwood Rose, check out silhouettesbycindi.com she does groupings, and goes around the country and world doing them. I was lucky to get mine done by her!