Melusine, A River Maid

 

This is Melusine, a one of a kind lily pad river maid. Inspired by the folk story of Melusine the river daughter.

Each water lily is supported by a silk or felt lily pad and the theme is carried on onto her hand with a tiny water lily.

Dragonfly charms run across the design and she has a piece of malachite to her heart.

The fabric used is an Acufactum print called By the River and tiny perch peep among the lily pads. Her hair is chartreuse green merino wool and her scrim is hand dyed in various shades of pond green. Her tail is a rich green silk as are some of her lily pads. She has a tiny dragonfly gliding across her back.

Melusine's story is a folk tale that is found across Europe. Her mother met and married the King of Scotland, Elinas. She agreed to marry him so long as he never saw her bathe. She gave him three daughters one of whom was Melusine with Melior and Palatine. Unable to hide his curiosity he peeped at Pressine in her bath. Cursing him for seeing her as a half fish she took her daughters and fled to Avalon. Enraged at their father's betrayal, the three sisters captured him and hid him inside a mountain. At this point Pressine lost her temper with her daughters and then cursed them. Melusine becoming a river maid with a fish tail. Sometimes she is described as having two tails.

A young knight spied the beautiful Melusine sitting by the river and fell in love. Only for the story repeating itself and after giving Reymond ten sons he peeped at her in her bath and she fled cursing him. Forever after she could not take the form of a human again. She is linked to the Dukes of Luxembourg and predicts deaths in the family. So there you go!

I loved making this river maid and there a some more mermaids now live on the shop. These new mermaids are in stronger colours for a change.

I love Melusine's water lily flowers, the one at her breast is in silk and the others are in felt. She really is a one of a kind doll and I will not be repeating her. Wonderfully fiddly to make, I enjoyed every part of her.

Catching up with gallery work and then hoping to complete my nurse dolls. Enjoy the sunshine and my warmest wishes to every one xx