From the Zone of the Unreal

A chalk drawing I bought at the New York Outsider Art Fair earlier this year.  The artist's name is (I think) Jack Flich, or Jack Flitch.

A moment of high tension, obviously.  Three women--as in the Robert Altman film of the same name--always an uncanny grouping, bound for a realm of dream and disturbance. 

Danielle Darrieux

Darrieux the star of one of the greatest films of all time: Max Ophuls'  The Earrings of Madame D----.  Now that Lauren Bacall is dead, Darrieux is one of a tiny handful of actresses still alive from the Golden Age of Cinema.  She is 97.  In 2002 she gave an extraordinary performance in the French director François Ozon's 8 Femmes.

Here's a YouTube link to some gorgeous pix of her when young, set to her recording of "Petite Fleur," which I believe she wrote herself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpsi4XpPRwk  

I adore her.   OK, a little bit wonky during Vichy period--and married at one time to legendary--and fairly unsavory--Porfirio Rubirosa--but we won't hold that against her, at least for a few minutes.

Fun Dog Day

Now here's a RPPC curio.  I bought this postcard, as I recall, for the intelligent and friendly smile of the dog, not for any visual quirkiness (other than that the image was a good enough example of the very trendy vernacular-photo-collecting category--"cast shadow of photographer unintentionally visible."

Looking at the image now I see it's a bit more complex: a double exposure of some sort.  The woman (?) here is standing on a porch with her back to a rather sparse-looking landscape.  One might surmise that the light-source, the sun, is coming from behind her, casting her in darkness.  Yet the dog, who seems to  be in front of her, is fully illuminated by the sunlight. 

How the silhouette plus secondary outline of the woman came to pass is beyond me.  Dog seems to be having fun, though.

Bowler Man

....slightly tinted.  (I must have done something to this scanned version, but I can't quite tell what.)  It's a larger-size tintype, hand colored, and I've used bits and pieces of it in various art works.

My favorite among many nice elements--the extraordinary design the shirt, stand-up collar, and necktie make.

She-Devils Everywhere

Some street art stencils--a photo I took in Prague a while ago.   Just came across it again yesterday and thought the colors especially were rather nice. 

(.... In Keeping Up with My Postcard Posts)

I confess: Pinterest and Instagram have briefly drawn my attentions elsewhere---I need to get back to good old wholesome Fun With Postcards....   Here's a weirdee: the artist has made several of the gals here--2 central figures especially ---look as if their arms have, indeed, been put on *backwards.*

Mitfordian

Maidstone Man

One of the British Neanderthals.  Something about him--I don't know what---makes me think he's not French.  

Incommunicative Subaltern Department

A page from a feature a few years ago in World of Interiors--one's favorite magazine, after all--showing fashionable new textiles of the season.  The photos were taken in Mongolia with help (as one can see) of locals.  I believe these two are circus performers.  Have never been able to throw picture away.  Archaic animal hide booties have a certain allure.  Guy on the left: Mongolian pudge of the highest order.    

And World of Interiors: utterly blithe and undismayed, as always, on issues of global capitalism, exploitation of underclass, Orientalism, etc., etc.

Bipolar Workwear of the 1950s

  

Mid century Modern at its finest.  This model's somewhat perverse energy reminds me of the inimitable Randy Newman song, "You Can Keep Your Hat On".                                       

A Grande Dame

That touchstone of solo portrait photography: has the sitter 'defeated' the camera, or has he or she been defeated by it?   Here one sees, in my view, a clear-cut example of the former.  The dress is fine and ferocious, and the quite luxuriant curls piled up likewise, but best of all, the wry/sly expression: one of watchful, yet utter, equanimity.   Victory.

An RPPC, of course, and one in charmingly good condition.  The woman's desire to connect with us emotionally is palpable across, what? 120 or 130 years?

Julie Ducamion

Game card from a late 19th-century French card game--depictions of various social "types"  Among sights we saw today on our way back from brunch in the Mission: a small group of people standing at top of "Gay Beach" in Dolores Park, all with little easels and painting plein air style. 

Unfortunately Julie seems to have a 5 o'clock shadow.

Nor Is Summer Over Yet

Calling all Amazons!  Still time left to practice those archer-huntress- moon goddess skills!  And so far beyond rad--those slouchy and elegant leather belts with the quivers attached!  (Love that word slung.)  They are really slung.

There were some smooth shooters here, to judge by the well-riddled target.  (The image here is a  newspaper archive photo from August 28, 1916.  By happenstance, the scene documented took  place almost exactly 98 years ago.)  "Altho' the ancient sport of Archery is regarded as almost extinct," the caption reads, "there is lively interest in the National Tournament held at Jersey City, N.J.  Keen eyed women made new records.  Contestants looking over the results of their shots."

Let's Go Very Far Away

One of my first cyanotypes.  Love the tissue-like paper it's printed on.  I also love the elegant turbaned man in the group on the right--the way his left heel is lifting off the ground.  The white tunic, also, falling open as he leans to the side....

News from around the world this week--just about as vile as it could be.

A Loving Chimp

....or not.  ("Nature red in tooth and claw!")  Archival newspaper photo from the 1960s or 1970s.  Where are they now?

A phrase I thoroughly dislike: when somebody declares  that a person or creature (often a baby) has an "old soul."  Everyone adopts a simpery-sententious look while uttering the phrase, but the goal is an aggressive one: to transmit said "sensitive affect" to one's listeners, who are expected to simper likewise and nod their heads.  It's an irritating form of coercive New Age moral self-congratulation.  

I'm sure I don't have an "old soul"---more likely, it's a non-recyclable brand-new styrofoam one, or else one that's like a distorted xerox image--the kind of thing that eventuates when you accidently move whatever it is you're copying or drag your arm across the scan surface, etc etc etc.  Black and smeary, wot?

From Mexico Till Now

A purchase from a nice used bookshop in Condesa in Mexico City.  After peering at it intently--so much pointless rubble to sift through!--one sees the weathered face, Sphinx-like, on which the lady rather awkwardly rests her left hand.

Aztec ruin--or colonial?   I've just discovered the Florentine Codex.  You should too.

I Sat On the Mod Box

Believe this to be an anonymous Czech photo--1940s?  It interests me not only on account of the all-fuzz-all-the- time blue mohair outfit, but also because of the groovy studio prop: the modernistic cube on top of which the subject is posing.  I've got another studio portrait with similar post-Constructivist stylings, though can't lay my mitts on it at the moment.  Will post later when I come across it.

Note here also the curiously cruel (if fleeting) look on His Majesty the Baby's face.  One can see that when he grows up he will drive women crazy--with his refusal to commit, his brusque, away-facing sexual authority.

An Eerie Lady