Altina Schinasi
Altina Schinasi was a woman of many talents and passions.
She was an artist, a designer, an inventor, a filmmaker, and a social activist.
She is best known for creating the Harlequin eyeglass frame, also known as the cat-eye glasses, which became a fashion sensation in the 1930s and 1940s.
But who was Altina Schinasi, and what else did she do in her remarkable life?
Let us explore some of the highlights of her biography and legacy here.
Altina Schinasi died in which episode
Altina Schinasi died on August 19, 1999, at the age of 92, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
She passed away peacefully in her home, surrounded by her family and friends.
Her death was not featured in any episode of a TV show, but it was the subject of a documentary film called Altina, directed by her grandson Peter Sanders.
The film was released in 2014 and won several awards, including the Audience Award at the Santa Fe Film Festival.
It chronicles Altina’s life and achievements, as well as her personal struggles and relationships.
It features interviews with her sons, Terry and Denis Sanders, who are both Oscar-winning filmmakers, as well as other relatives, friends, and collaborators.
Altina Schinasi’s cause of death
Altina Schinasi’s cause of death was not officially disclosed, but it is likely that she died of natural causes, due to her advanced age.
She had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for several years before her death and had been under the care of her son Terry and his wife Fredda.
Altina had also battled cancer twice in her life, once in her 40s and once in her 80s, but she had overcome both times.
She had a strong spirit and a zest for life, and she never stopped creating and innovating until the end.
Altina Schinasi age
Altina was born on August 4, 1907, in New York City.
She was the youngest of four children of Morris and Laurette Schinasi, who were wealthy Turkish immigrants of Sephardic Jewish origin.
Her father was a successful tobacco tycoon, who built a mansion on the Upper West Side, where Altina grew up.
She had a privileged and sheltered childhood, but she also developed a curiosity and a rebellious streak.
She attended Horace Mann School and Dana Hall School, where she showed an interest in art and literature.
Altina later studied painting in Paris and New York and became involved in the avant-garde scene of the 1920s and 1930s.
She married four times in her life and had two sons with her first husband, architect Morris Sanders.
She lived in various places, including New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Santa Fe.
Altina died in 1999, at the age of 92.
Altina Schinasi Wikipedia
She has a Wikipedia page in English, which can be accessed here.
The page provides a detailed overview of her life and career, as well as a list of her works and awards.
It also has references and external links to other sources of information about her.
The page was created in 2006 and has been edited by various contributors since then.
It is rated as a start-class article, which means that it is a stub that needs expansion and improvement.
There are also Wikipedia pages about Altina Schinasi in other languages, such as French, Spanish, German, and Turkish, but they are less comprehensive and updated than the English ones.
Altina Schinasi pronunciation
Altina Schinasi’s name can be pronounced as /ælˈtiːnə ʃɪˈnɑːsi/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) or as al-TEE-nuh shi-NAH-see in a simplified spelling.
The stress is on the second syllable of both her first and last name.
Her first name, Altina, is a feminine form of Altin, which means “golden” in Turkish.
Her last name, Schinasi, is derived from the Hebrew word Shenasiah, which means “God has made” or “God has changed”.
Altina Schinasi glasses
These are the eyeglass frames that she designed and patented in 1939.
They are also known as Harlequin glasses or cat-eye glasses, because of their distinctive shape that resembles a mask or the eyes of a cat.
They have pointed edges at the outer corners of the lenses, which accentuate the cheekbones and the eyes of the wearer.
The glasses were originally intended for women, as an alternative to the boring and round frames that were available at the time.
They became very popular in the 1940s and 1950s, especially among celebrities and fashion icons, such as:
- Marilyn Monroe
- Audrey Hepburn
- Grace Kelly
They also influenced the design of sunglasses, which became a staple accessory in the 1960s.
The glasses are still in vogue today, as they are considered a classic and timeless style that suits many face shapes and personalities.
Altina Schinasi cat
Altina Schinasi’s cat is not a specific breed or type of cat, but rather a reference to the cat-eye glasses that she invented.
However, Altina Schinasi did love cats and owned several of them throughout her life.
She even named one of her cats Harlequin, after her eyeglass frame.
She also featured cats in some of her artworks, such as her Chairacters, which are chairs and benches that have portraits of people or animals on them.
One of her Chairacters is called Cat Chair, and it has a painting of a black cat on the backrest.
Altina Schinasi’s cat is therefore a symbol of her creativity and affection for felines.
Conclusion
Altina Schinasi was a remarkable woman who left a lasting mark on the world of art, design, and invention.
She was a pioneer and a trailblazer, who challenged the norms and conventions of her time.
She was also a generous and compassionate person, who supported various causes and movements, such as civil rights, women’s rights, and animal rights.
Altina was a multifaceted and fascinating individual, who deserves to be remembered and celebrated.
She was more than just the woman behind the cat-eye glasses. She was a visionary and a legend.
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