For postcard of the month this month, the exciting post that I know everyone waits for with desperate anticipation. I decided to go with the theme idea again and I decided on trees. As I looked through my extensive collection it wasn’t trees that leapt out at me, instead it was women. Gorgeous and delicious women. How do I choose a favourite for the month?? They are all so lovely.
In the end, this is my favourite. I love how much control she has over her beauty. How much she uses it to manipulate the world. I love the shape of her, the plump shapely thigh is just delightful. Here is a little about her:
La Belle Otero, a Spanish dancer actress and courtesan was born in 1868, she died just 9 days after I was born on the 10th April 1965 at the age of 96. Although she accumulated a massive fortune during her lifetime she gambled most of it away. If I wrote a book called ‘Interviews with Ghosts’ I would feature her! Sadly she died in unhappy poverty.
One of her costumes featured her gorgeous bosom partially covered with glued-on precious gems, and the twin cupolas of the Carlton Hotel built in 1912 in Cannes are said to have been modeled on her breasts.
Would you like a building modeled on any of your body part?
This painting by Albert Marquet was also done in 1914, I wonder what she was thinking while she posed for this? I bet her arms ached after a while. The look in her eye suggests slight contempt I think? Do you have a different interpretation?
This painting is called The Artist’s Mother by Joseph Southall. I placed her between the lovely lady above and the postcard below and she kept falling off. I don’t think she approved!
This lady sitting on a skeleton is Theda Bara, one of the world’s first screen sirens. She made 45 films in 5 years with Fox and in most of them she played a beautiful woman whose power leads her to destroy the men she entraps. This gives me so many thoughts about the film industry and it’s ability to tweak and manipulate society.
A Dior evening gown in 1954 – wow!
This is Lillian Gish in 1921 – a silent movie actress – now here is an outfit I quite fancy wearing ha ha
Some more of the lovely ladies who kept me company this month.
This stunner is Sarah Bernhardt (in 1892 when she was 47 years old) and the message on the back, sent from Paris:
“Well, I thought you’d bought up all those old publicity still years ago! Never mind, I managed to pick up this one of you in your racoon skin outfit, on the Rive Droit…. P.S. Paris is Still Gayish”
Sent in 1976.
