9 Moons Ago

Just thought I’d share something which I find appealing, both as an artist who loves portraiture and the stories behind a face, as well as someone who has always been fascinated with old photos and genealogy.

Click to see The Rogues Gallery

This article shares the way people at the last turn of the century in Britain were dealt with for public drunkenness and the behavior which accompanied it. And, as for these faces, as an artist who loves to draw/paint portraits, they are a wealth of rugged terrain. Most of these subjects are pretty much caricatures already. Some are hard to look at and imagine their life, some so comical through the sadness. Some, just “Yikes!”
They are pathetic, doleful, comical, angry, dazed, ashamed, scary and strange all at once. They obviously had hard and sorrowful lives, aged prematurely and were no strangers to violence…

I had to pull out one of my favorites, who someone expertly pegged as Elmira Gulch from the Wizard of Oz. I also kept thinking of her as an extremely dour Mary Poppins. You’ll pick her out, no problem. Here are some visual cues:

Here’s to hoping we never have to endure such a fate! Cheers!