5/14/09

ROSA by no other name


"A rose by any other name..."

I think this woman is stunning. Her sultry smokey eyes have the look of a silent screen star. My best friend gave me this real photo postcard of a woman named Rosa. We don't know her story so we've made up our own. You will most likely do the same.

The photo was taken at a studio in France, "L. Courbet" is the signature. The name of the street is unfortunately cropped from the bottom trim.

There are other photos of Rosa, but none as striking as this. Perhaps in real life she was very ordinary in appearance to the casual observer, but this photographer saw something more. Did he choose the backdrop or did she? It's perfect. Rosa in a garden.

Was she alone when she came to the portrait studio? Was it a rainy or sunny day? The photo sets a mood and I'm drawn in and want to know more. Ahhhh well...vernacular photography. The details of her life will be forever unknown, but now by my posting her image she will be known by many.

Rosa_tatteredandlost
Click on image to see it larger.

Every time I look at this photo I hear Edith Piaf singing "La Vie En Rose" so I had to include a video. Though decades apart, I can imagine Rosa listening to Piaf on an old scratchy recording. Rosa sitting in a cafe smiling over a glass of wine as her lover tells her of his day beneath a tree of spring blossoms.

I hope Rosa had a good life.

4 comments:

  1. Rose is hauntingly lovely. And even before I scrolled down far enough to see, I was hearing the Edith Piaf!! Perfect.

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  2. Great minds...you know. Love Piaf.

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  3. Anonymous5/16/2009

    I love the close up of Rosa's face. I am glad that she was introduced that way. The entire photo is lovely,but had I seen it first, all the details would have distracted me from her face. I would have seen the entire photo- so thanks for the close up.

    d

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  4. I knew you'd love seeing Rosa again. She's special.

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