#black pearl of braavos

[ironlily1413]

Bellegere Otherys (The Black Pearl of Braavos)

#fire and blood #house of the dragon #iron throne #art #house targaryen #bellegere otherys #black pearl of braavos #braavos

[rozsesandart]

Bellegre Otherys, fourth mistress to Aegon IV Targaryen 🐚

Art by @rozsesandart

Art masterlist- socials - kofi - commissions

#Bellegre Otherys #black pearl of braavos #digital art #digital aritst #house of the dragon #game of thrones #game of thrones fanart #hotd #got fanart #asoiaf art #house targaryen #hotd fanart #aegon iv targaryen #aegon the unworthy #aegon iv #nine mistresses #fire and blood #a game of thrones #a song of ice and fire #asoiaf fanart #asoiaf #got art #got fandom #hotd art #black women #fantasy art #fantasy #character design #grr martin #digital arwork

[tenthmuseondine]

The Back Pearl of Braavos and 16th century Venetian Fashion:

There is a common consensus among fans that Braavos - a city sited on a group of small islands that are linked by bridges and walkways, divided by canals, channels and waterways of varying size - is heavily inspired by Italian mercantile/maritime republics, of which Venice is the most famous.

Furthermore, the canal-based, inter-connecting island architecture is not the only similarity between Braavos and Venice; both cities are famed for their courtesans.

Indeed in 16th century, Venice was famed for its many elaborately dressed and coiffed courtesans; Veronica Franco (1546–1591) is a famous example! She developed her position in Renaissance Venetian society as a cortigiana onesta (Honest Courtesan), known for her notable clientele, feminist advocacy, literary contributions, and philanthropy.

Her fictional parallel in ASOIAF could be Bellegere Otherys II - one of the famed courtesans in Braavos (the other being Daughter of the Dusk). We know Bellegere comes from a family of courtesans, bearing the title of Black Pearl of Braavos - a moniker borne by a descendant of Bellegere Otherys I, the first Black Pearl, a pirate queen who became a mistress of Aegon IV Targaryen.

The eldest bastard daughter of King Aegon IV and Bellegere, Bellenora Otherys, became a courtesan under the same name. Bellenora's descendants became courtesans as well, each eventually bearing the name "Black Pearl".

We can also assume that Bellegere is rather wealthy, owning her own barge and servants to pole her to trysts and when purchasing three cockles from Arya, who is disguised as Cat of the Canals, paying ten times what the cockles are worth. This wealth is directly reflected in her clothing!

"She was so lovely that the lamps seemed to burn brighter when she passed. She had dressed in a low-cut gown of pale yellow silk, startling against the light brown of her skin. Her black hair was bound up in a net of spun gold, and a jet-and-gold necklace brushed against the top of her full breasts." (TWOW, Mercy)

The aforementioned "low-cut gown" immediately brings to mind the 16th century gowns worn by Venetian courtesans!

Look at this art print of a Venetian Courtesan (Cortigiana Veneta) published by Pietro Bertelli in 1591.

Notice the incredibly low and exposed neckline of the gown!

It is important to mention, however, that not only courtesans dressed this way. Venetian noblewomen of the 16th century also bared their breasts in keeping with the fashion of the day.

For example, look at this art print of a Venetian Bride (Sposa Veneta), also by Pietro Bertelli. There is virtually no difference; perhaps that is why the civic authorities decried the courtesans' deliberately misleading resemblance to 'honest women.'

In some portrayals, the Venetian woman's neckline opens almost immediately below the breast!

In Dress of Venetian Women (Habiti delle Donne Venetiane) ca. 1591–1610, the engravings done by Giacomo Franco show ornately dressed courtesans and respectable women, all of whom sport very low cut bodices.

In the second plate we see a depiction of parentado, or the ritual presentation of a bride to her relations. Here, a bride in a richly embroidered dress wearing pearls and a bejeweled crown is presented by her ballerino, a dance instructor who prevented the woman from toppling over in her chopines, or platform shoes.

In conclusion, in depicting Bellegere Otherys - the Black Pearl of Braavos - I would most definitely illustrate her wearing a gown inspired by 16th century Venetian dress (worn by both courtesans and noblewomen). She'd look rather striking I think.

#asoiaf #Black Pearl of Braavos #Venetian fashion #16th century #bellegere otherys #fashion thoughts

[tonyloom]

Arya stark x The courtesans of Braavos

The Black Pearl of Braavos

"She was so lovely that the lamps seemed to burn brighter when she passed. She had dressed in a low-cut gown of pale yellow silk, startling against the light brown of her skin. Her black hair was bound up in a net of spun gold, and a jet-and-gold necklace brushed against the top of her full breasts."

A study of François Claudius Compte-Calix 'Ladies in the Park'. France, 19th century. 

#arya stark #art study #digital study #a song of ice and fire #braavos courtesan #asoiaf #asoiaf fanart #the black pearl #bellegere otherys #asoif fanart

[nobodysuspectsthebutterfly]

@daenystheedreamer replied to the post “allyriadayne: will someone explain to me what the deal is with asoiaf lore?”:

#ok the bellegere thing has got to be grrm being horny right. he wants a princess from the summer islands right.

​(This is in regards to how TWOIAF in 2014 stated that Bellegere Otherys (Aegon IV's mistress) was the child of a Braavosi merchant's daughter and a male envoy from the Summer Isles, which was based on GRRM's notes that he'd given to E&L, but that same year when GRRM released Arya's "Mercy" TWOW preview chapter, he'd changed his mind and Bellegere was now the daughter of a Sealord's son and a Summer Isles princess; and because the books are "more canon" than TWOIAF, later editions were changed to fit:)

Anyway, I'm not sure it's just GRRM being horny that's the reason lol. There's probably a few reasons:

Bellegere has a Braavosi surname rather than a Summer Isles one, and Braavos isn't so feminist-forward that a child would have the mother's surname; and having her father's name further implies that Bellegere was not a bastard herself

There's certain racist connotations re a black man seducing an innocent backwater girl, even if he is a diplomat (or especially if?), which GRRM probably had second thoughts about

If Bellegere's Summer Islander parent educated her in the ways of their sexually free culture and religion, again the connotations are much more creepy if it's her father doing so rather than her mother (see also how the Black Pearl courtesan lineage is passed from mother to daughter)

So yeah, it's a bit hinky, but it's avoiding far greater hinkiness. When it's GRRM trying to balance problematic material (see also him thinking he should've made the Targaryens black and then going: "wait, black invading conquerers who do incest and have a streak of madness is also maybe not so good"), we've got to give him a little bit of credit, at least.

#daenystheedreamer #asoiaf #asoiaf meta #bellegere otherys #the black pearl of braavos #braavos #the summer isles #the world of ice and fire #mercy #grrm #oh grrm

[game-of-style]

The Black Pearl of Braavos - Christian Dior Haute Couture Spring 2022

#the black pearl of braavos #braavos #the free cities #christian dior #Haute Couture #black #A Song of Ice and Fire #game of thrones

[atherpurest]

“She was so lovely that the lamps seemed to burn brighter when she passed.”

Bellegere Otherys, courtesan in Braavos, also called the Black Pearl.

#bellegere otherys #braavos #black #pearl #lovely #arya stark #asoiaf #got #game of thrones #essos #free cities #valyrian #aegon iv #targaryen #otherys #yellow

[wyattabernathyus]

Sketch: The Black Pearl of Braavos

#asoiaf #game of thrones #twoiaf #bellegere otherys #my art

[sansas-amythest-hairnet]

Braavosi Hairstyles

So the braavos is fairly cold so hats and veils, the wealthy wear dark demure colors and their jewelry is made of black pearls and onyx, the lower classes actually dress in brighter more flamboyant colors, yet they lack the embellishments and structure found in the hair accessories of the wealthy.

Requested by @anessayondreams

#asoiaf #game of thrones #a song of ice and fire #asoif/got #asoif fanart #asoiaf fanart #braavos

[maicrzs]

Bellegere Otherys, the Black Pearl of Braavos

She was a smuggler, a trader, an occasional pirate, and the captain of the "Widow Wind".

She was also one of the lovers (as he was hers) of King Aegon IV, "The Unworthy" and together they had 2 daughters and 1 son: Bellenora Otherys, Narha Otherys and Balerion Otherys (there are doubts about the boy's paternity).

This one was so much fun to make and I loved how it turned out.

#asoiaf #asoiaf art #got #asoiaf fanart #art #fanart #house targaryen #aegon iv targaryen

[buttercuparry]

Quais você acha que serão os próximos passos de Arya no treinamento com os homens sem rosto???

(Consegui encontrar a caixa de perguntas 😆)

Oh hello. I hope I can answer this in English? I used google translate for the question but I think lots of people have said before that you cannot truly use it as in reality it is shit at translation ( I would have translated and posted the answer in Portuguese otherwise ).

I don't know for sure, but I definitely want her to have an apprenticeship with the Black Pearl of Braavos. When Arya first comes to Braavos, the Kindly Man does say that if she so chooses, she can be a courtesan. Now before anyone jumps down my throat- no I am not saying that I want Arya to be a courtesan. You can stop clutching your pearls and screaming "she is a child! A child". I just want her to play a role in the Black Pearl's household. A servant girl in charge of her garbs? A personal handmaiden? I want this because of the running theme in her story where it is suggested that she will have a proximity to the dragons. The first Black Pearl of Braavos was the mistress of a Targaryen and her descendants continue to this day and are given the title of the Black Pearl.

Also the courtesans of Braavos often accompany powerful men or men in powerful positions. Who knows what news Arya may get to hear! Will she know of something that has happened at the Wall? Would she hear of her own marriage? Or would strange tales of a silver haired dragon queen fly to her while she serves a descendant of a dragon? Like agjfsklaukjdkk

Also I just want Arya to have more interactions with women. Honestly anytime anywhere.

#arya stark

[alienoryva]

Bellegere Otherys

("black pearl of braavos & Brown pearl")

Bellegere Otherys is the courtesan in Braavos called the Black Pearl. She is descended from the first Black Pearl of Braavos, also named Bellegere Otherys, and Aegon IV Targaryen(Rhaenyra and daemon grandson). Her mother, Bellonara Otherys, was the previous Black Pearl before her.

The kindly man offers Arya Stark the opportunity to become a courtesan. If she wishes, the Faceless Men will send her to the Black Pearl or the Daughter of the Dusk.

"She's descended from the dragons, that one" —Merry, to Cat (Arya Stark)

.

(cr art) : Rae Laverge

(cr source) : asoiaf web

#game of thrones #asoiaf #house targaryen #houseotherys #bellegereotherys #aegon iv targaryen #blackpearlofbraavod #rhaenyra targeryan #daemon targeryan #asoiafwomensource #george rr martin #fireandblood #house of the dragon #targaryen #Targaryendescendants #braavos #viserys ii targaryen #larra rogare #aemma arryn #viserys i targaryen

[starryrosebud]

I love how all the Hot girls/girlboss are descendants of Rhaenyra:

-Daena Targaryen

-Elaena Targaryen

-Daenerys Martell

- Shiera Seastar

- Bellegere Otherys ( The black pearl of Braavos)

- Arianne Martell

- Daenerys Targaryen (The most beautiful woman in the world🛐)

Rhaenyra’s blood is strong 😌✊

#asoiaf #targnation #rhaenyra targaryen #house Targaryen #daena targaryen #elaena targaryen #Daenerys Martell #shiera seastar #Bellegere Otherys #arianne martell #daenerys targaryen #she would be so proud of her girls🥹🥹🥹

[tonyloom]

The Black Pearl of Braavos and Arya stark

#bellegere otherys #arya stark #doodle #headcanon #asoiaf #the black pearl #a song of ice and fire #braavos

[gendrie]

how much of a role do you think the courtesans will play for arya in twow? and how involved do you think they might be with the possible sealord plot?

if nothing else arya is going to have an apprenticeship with bellegere otherys. which would serve a few purposes. it lets arya follow up on sabotaging harys swyft’s mission, gets her reacquainted with the lifestyles of the rich and famous, and allows her to hone abilities like charm/manipulation/ect. i think it will also work towards arya feeling more confident as she becomes a “maiden” with the guidance of this older, sophisticated woman acting as her mentor. we’ve already seen bellegere be very kind with arya and she, generally, responds well to that like with lady smallwood.

theres two locations on the braavos map that i believe are courtesan residences. fancy buildings since they clearly wield quite a bit of power and are probably some of braavos’ biggest political players behind the scenes. some have even had statues built in their honor. we know more about the courtesans than we do the keyholders! 

it’ll tie in with the sealord plot to some extent, i’d think. we saw at the gate in mercy that many of the wealthy braavosi attend with courtesans. ie: there were 3 members of house otharys (otherys typo? perhaps) at the play and each was accompanied by a “famous” courtesan. that suggests they’re really powerful. we know an otherys has been sealord before too since the OG black pearl was the daughter of a sealord. 

theres also the dragons to consider. they’ll be making their way west soon and that will become a major issue in braavos. (esp if a member of team targ shows up to treat with the iron bank???) the black pearl is the “most famous courtesan of all” and she’s descended from dragons. she could end up being an influential force in braavos’ stance on dany + the dragons once they reach the free cities. 

arya’s apprenticeship will probably only last one chapter but i think the influence of the courtesans will be felt throughout the rest of her arc in braavos. 

#ask #some will prob say its problematic #but im excited to see arya in such a female dominated world

[vampire-exgirlfriend]

who is the new OC you have this summer? are they a greyjoy?

eee! i'm so excited about this lol

this summer i'm dropping a GoT era fic centered around Viserys III and Dany, featuring a whole host of new ocs from the Iron Islands and other parts of Westeros (and Essos).

our fmc is Ygraine Blacktyde, daughter of Lord Hrothgar Blacktyde and Serenei Otherys, youngest daughter of The Black Pearl of Braavos. Ygraine has a younger sister and two brothers, one younger and one older. her family is not a happy nor a functional one, and she escapes this by raiding and reeving, though she finds little joy in it. But her family has ships and no love for the Baratheons, and she finds herself traded for the (false) promise of Iron Island independence.

basically, we're looking at what happens when you put viserys in a box with an rabid dog who can beat him up and shake that box really hard. dany gets to watch the box get shaken and she enjoys that, while the rest of Westeros contends with the idea of Targ restoration (and Jon Snow has a lot of feelings).

#asoiaf fic #ygraine blacktyde #viserys iii targaryen #danaerys targaryen