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Unknown
Elderly cobbler reading paper peering out window

1903

About the Item

Medium: Gouache and Watercolor on Board Signature: Unsigned Postcard illustration; publisher: (The Gray Lithograph Company), Circa 1903; The Male Gaze 120 years ago. We joke about how ridiculous it was when men got all titillated at the sight of a woman's ankles. It seems that it was thought ridiculous even then, when it was about the only part of a woman's legs a man was likely to get a glimpse of in public, as shown in this slyly humorous postcard illustration. Ostensibly, the cobbler has only a professional interest in studying the lady's footwear. In case you miss the point, he is reading the Observer and her stockings have a striking design to emphasize the ankle. As in later pinup art, the woman's personality is besides the point; she doesn't even need to have a head. The artist may be English, given the fastidious watercolor craftsmanship, but this illustrator is unlikely to be in the famous category, since he (we assume it's a he) has not mastered the art of perspective note the lopsided chair and impossible stovepipe.
  • Creation Year:
    1903
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 20 in (50.8 cm)Width: 12 in (30.48 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Fort Washington, PA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU38435994302
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