Mardi Gras Beads New Orleans is a photograph by Alexandra Till which was uploaded on January 13th, 2014.
Title
Mardi Gras Beads New Orleans
Artist
Alexandra Till
Medium
Photograph - Photographs - Prints - Digital Images - Cards - Posters - Photo-calendars - Photo Art
Description
© Christine Till
What comes to your mind when you think of New Orleans' Mardi Gras? For some, it's the traditional fare of extravagant parade floats, exquisite masks, and beautiful beads. For others, the image that comes to mind is that of wild parties and the craziness that is NOLA's Bourbon Street.
Glass beads did not become a New Orleans Mardi Gras staple until the 1880s, after Anglo-American "krewes" had formed to organize the loose-knit festivities. Legend has it that the first parade participant to use beads was a man dressed up as Santa Claus; the ornamental strands were such a hit that other krewes picked up on the ritual. By 1900, when at least 100,000 tourists a year flocked to the Crescent City for Mardi Gras, beaded throws were ubiquitous.
Despite all of the other Big Easy souvenirs, colorful bead necklaces remain the most popular trinket passed out during the Mardi Gras celebration. They are now made with cheaper and safer materials like plastic and aluminum rather than glass. Traditional Mardi Gras beads are purple, green, and gold colors. The purple symbolizes justice; the green represents faith; and the gold signifies power.
Throw me something, mister!
Uploaded
January 13th, 2014
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Comments (3)
Randy Rosenberger
This lovely piece of art work deserves many accolades, and I hope you get them on our WFS site, as they surely are worthy of high recognition. It is with pride and pleasure that I Feature this beautifully done piece of artwork on our Homepage. Thanks much for sharing your talents and the beauty of your great works. Liked Forever, Elvis
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