Monday's Faces

Quite a find I made today. I had an hour to kill between lectures so I found myself wandering up a narrow flight of stairs to a local antique shop and having a hunt around. There were was a fair brilliant range of trinkets and "objets" as my dad would say.

But the thing that caught my eye was a box of postcards and photographs labelled "subjects" for 25p each. Trying to stifle my excitement I asked the shopkeeper (who looked very dapper in a suit) if he could open the cabinet for me.

I spent the next half hour searching through the box of absolute treasure and beaming with happiness. Some had scribbled dates and places on the back, some had detailed descriptions in neat hand, others had nothing - allowing me the pleasure of imagining.

I bought 13 cards today and fully intend to go back for more soon. I tell you, looking at those black and white and sepia faces really bloomin cheered me up. And, as Mondays can often be fairly dour, I'll share a face a week with you. I hereby announce with great pleasure the first "Monday's Face":


No detail on the back other than the print "Carta Postala Italiana", but I like to think she was a dancer called Maria and she saved that sequin skirt for her dance sessions and nothing else.

I love the way she's stood so awkwardly and her face is slightly blurred with movement, as though she turned her head at the last minute - perhaps because she felt embarrassed in front of the camera. She's not got model looks, but I'll bet the only time she felt truly beautiful was when she was dancing.