Sarah

Posted Sunday, May 26, 2024

21d

ISTP

Pisces

6

7

"The Irritating Gentleman" by Berthold Woltze,1890

The painting portrays a woman who, based on her appearance, likely belongs to the European lower middle class. This assumption is drawn from the common practice of educated working women wearing black attire, which conceals stains effectively. However, her emotionally expressive eyes strongly suggest that she is in a state of mourning. Her double-lock carpet bag indicates that she is traveling with minimal baggage, possibly on her way to or from a funeral. During this period in Europe, mourning and funerals were elaborate affairs, with societal norms dictating that mourners dress entirely in black and refrain from wearing jewelry unless it too was black. The woman's hairstyle, pulled back with a headband and braided, implies that she is a teenager. The presence of a white handkerchief beneath her left hand is evidence of recent tears. The fact that the "irritating gentleman" is bothering a young, grieving teenager who is traveling alone only serves to exacerbate his irritating behavior. Source: History In Pictures