Not having read Poe for 5 decades, I couldn’t begin to guess what story this might be attached to, but what came to mind on first viewing was a theatre troupe, most of them out or getting out of costume, smoking, drinking, everything normal except for that decapitated corpse on the walk. Were women actors still an extreme rarity in Poe’s day?
I’m quite clueless on this one. It could be interpreted a number of ways.
Why, oh why, is there always a semi or completely naked lady in all the pictures, with all the men dressed? Poe would have be horrified, he was scared out of his mind by naked ladies.
I’m not altogether sure they are women in the classical sense. Looks to be at least some transgender people there. There also looks to be what might possibly be a severed penis. *shrug*
Also, these illustrations relate to the stories, not to Poe himself.
Raucous Indignationsays
Yes, there is quite a bit to unpack in that picture.
Laundry day at the Rue Morge????
Not having read Poe for 5 decades, I couldn’t begin to guess what story this might be attached to, but what came to mind on first viewing was a theatre troupe, most of them out or getting out of costume, smoking, drinking, everything normal except for that decapitated corpse on the walk. Were women actors still an extreme rarity in Poe’s day?
I’m quite clueless on this one. It could be interpreted a number of ways.
It is stunning.
I don’t know, but Poe’s mother was an actor.
Why, oh why, is there always a semi or completely naked lady in all the pictures, with all the men dressed? Poe would have be horrified, he was scared out of his mind by naked ladies.
I’m not altogether sure they are women in the classical sense. Looks to be at least some transgender people there. There also looks to be what might possibly be a severed penis. *shrug*
Also, these illustrations relate to the stories, not to Poe himself.
Yes, there is quite a bit to unpack in that picture.