Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Mustaches We Have Seen and Loved (or not, as the case may be). Or - everything you might have always wanted to know about mustaches, but were afraid to ask.

 by Travis Louie

Recently ran across a delightful post on 19th century mustaches which appeared online a couple of years ago and still has the power to make me shake my head and laugh outright. Here's the link.

(The name of the blog is: Mustaches of the 19th Century - Your One Stop Blog Spot for Your 19th Century Mustache Needs.)

I'm telling you, you can find just about ANYTHING on online - even when you're not looking. In fact, I forgot what I was originally looking for after I spotted this post. Isn't that always the way?

Then, of course, I immediately ran into another wonderful mustache post over at Grand Old Movies: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly; or, Movie Mustache Musings.

Anyway, these posts reminded me that I haven't written about one of my favorite manly accoutrement in quite a while - well, ever since my infamous Ode to A Pencil Thin Mustache.

Time for another - don't you think? Ready to talk facial hair?

******************************

The truth is, there's very little I could say about mustaches that the extraordinary artist Travis Louie doesn't already know and understand, so I'm going to let his paintings enlighten us. The language of the mustache is writ clear in this incredible phantasmagoria of facial hair.

Louie has the gift of making the fantastic look a bit 'matter of fact' - it's as if the Victorian era had suddenly revealed a secret stash of portraits - characters who'd actually lived but remained hidden from view until Travis Louie set them free.

Take a look, see what you think:









See what can happen when facial hair ia allowed to run amok?

To view more ofTravis Louie's amazing creations, please link to his blog.

14 comments:

  1. hello Yvette:
    Gosh what extraordinary creations these are from the mind of Travis Louie, such fun!
    Of course, here in Hungary, we are in many ways in the land of the moustache. The Magyars take their moustaches very seriously and they sport them with pride!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. My husband has had a moustache since he was 19 years old -- if he shaved it off I wouldn't know who he was ..lol.

    Travis' painting are so unusual and funny. He certainly gave each type of moustache a personality!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Travis Louie combines humor with great technical expertise, and since I do have a mustache (at the moment), I'm wondering if he would render me!? Alas, probably not, for my mustache is quite within the norm. Interesting that all his work seems to be monochromatic.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alright,
    I have to get the tweezers now.
    Don't remember where I put
    the Magnifier. This was a scream,
    I don't like beards or a Mustache. Except on Detective Poirot.
    Yvonne
    Bet Boston will be jumping on
    ST Pat's. Day

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well, Jane and Lance, a mustache can only be 'sported with pride' or not at all, in my opinion. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Pat: I'm smiling over your comment about not recognizing your husband without his mustache.

    I feel the same way about my brother. Once or twice over the years he's shaved his 'stache off and I have to say I HATED IT! He wasn't the same person. It's funny how facial hair becomes part of a person.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You probably wouldn't really want Travis Louie to draw you, Mark. You should see the rest of his mysterious creations, before you make the request. Ha!

    His work really is arresting, even a bit frightening. But in a humorous way.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yvonne: That top picture is my view of my future! HA! Never mind the tweezers, bring on the waxing. OUCH!

    ReplyDelete
  9. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Now this is downright scary ... Mustaches run amok.

    I've always liked men with mustaches, nice, normal ones. In fact, it adds a handsome touch.

    But not like these ... Eeks!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I know, aren't they too weird? Love 'em though. Travis Louis is SO talented. A bit warped, but talented. Hey, nobody's perfect. Ha!

    You should see the rest of his stuff, Kathy. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I shudder to think! I think I'll avoid that page, scaredy-cat that I can be.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Absolutely hilarious, Yvette. Travis' creations look like a bunch of freaks, like experiments gone horribly wrong. But you can't miss the genius in him, can you? Blogs about moustaches? Now seriously!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Prashant: the two links are pretty funny in and of themselves. Glad you took a look at them.

    Yes, I love's Louie's style. Hard to think what to mmake of his outrageous artwork.

    I love his technique.

    ReplyDelete

Your comment will appear after I take a look.