I believe this woman is incredibly loyal and she would take a bullet for someone she does love. She would also make a very, very dangerous adversary though, because I believe she is brooding, patient, and also very cunning. I would also guess that she could be very aggressive when pushed far enough.
…But then again, maybe I’m reading more into the portrait than is there” I said, closing my eyes and rubbing my forehead.
“I detect that you’re correct on most of what you’ve said, Tim. However, I think she’s a mom and the loyalty you’re seeing in her eyes is most likely for her children, or children in general.” Andrea said, studying the portrait carefully.
I nodded at Andrea’s observation, a mom herself.
Andrea continued, “This photo is undoubtedly a one-of-one, meaning she took one single photo and no more. She’s rigid and holding her breath in this photograph, out of some sort of anxiety. Maybe she just didn’t like having her photo taken, as you’ve suggested. When I was modeling, it was almost impossible to get some of the gals to quit holding their breath during stills. Even some of our most seasoned models had to constantly work on their breathing techniques during a shoot. The girl in this portrait is also gritting her teeth, another bad habit for models and also a sign of anxiety. Notice too, that she’s using her arms and the bouquet as an emotional shield, this girl was not comfortable with whoever took this photo, which was probably a stranger to her.
During this period, most people had their photograph taken only once in their entire lifetime, if ever, and many people were uncomfortable and also untrusting of the process of having their picture taken. The concept of photography was still relatively new and completely foreign to them. Remember, this was during the Industrial Revolution and the Civil War was only some twenty-five years past, most people were still traveling by horse and buggy during this time. I don’t think the girl in this photo would be inclined to trust machines, modern technology, or the people associated with them.
From her facial expression, I’m inclined to agree with you, I believe that she would have been passive-aggressive in nature. Because of her exotic beauty, she’d probably been constantly patronized and manipulated by powerful and superficial men that were attracted to her and also arrogant. When she wasn’t being dictated to, then she was probably patronized to the point of redundancy. She was most likely, the lone wolf, as you’ve mentioned, Tim, and I doubt if she had many female friends, simply because of her stunning looks. Contrary to popular belief, the Victorian Era wasn’t always a model of morality and a lot of women were probably afraid of her sleeping with their husbands, which she could well have been, we’ll never know.
Needless to say, most women would have been intimidated by her and she probably was quite lonely.
The strength you see in this girl is from her sterling posture and the way she holds her head up and chin out, Tim. In modeling, this would be known as a defiant-set. As you mentioned, it looks to me as if she’s left her hair intentionally wild as a sign of rebellion and also to possibly attract potential lovers, – two things which propper Victorian women weren’t supposed to do. The reason this photo is so spooky is that she’s challenging the camera – she’s staring it down with what’s really inside her guts at this moment, which is pent-up rage.
She’s saying ‘F-YOU!’ to the camera.
…From the looks of it, she’s probably an emotional walking timebomb.” Andrea said sadly, staring up at the tintype.
“I think you’re probably right, Andrea,” I said quietly.
“This place gives me the creeps, no wonder she was so up-tight,” Kendall said, herself staring up at the large portraiture.
“Notice that she’s only showing her right hand, tightly holding the flowers, almost like a fist. She was either widowed, single, or hated her husband” Helen said bluntly, still peering up at the large tintype of the girl.
“What do you mean?” I asked looking at Helen.
“During the Victorian era, propper married women always showed their left hand and their wedding band, if their hands were visible at all in a portrait,” Helen said.
“I think you’ve been reading too many romance novels, Helen,” I said, suddenly tired of looking at the haunting girl within the tintype.
Helen ignored me with slight disgust showing on her face at my reply.
“Tim, I think Helen’s right, this girl certainly doesn’t seem like she cares to show her wedding band with any enthusiasm,” Andrea said.
“Maybe not, I wonder who she was?” I asked aloud, again.
“I need to call Mom now, it’s time for her to take her medication,” Helen said in a serious voice, glancing at her watch and digging out her phone to dial a number.
The phone was on speaker and echoed within the large foyer.
“Yesterday’s Ne-” A female voice said on the other end before Helen interrupted.
“-Mom, Mom it’s me, it’s time for you to take your meds now, you doing OK?” Helen asked.
Obviously, it was Diane back at the clip-joint in L.A. that Helen was talking to now, I realized.
“…Uh, Helen, is that you, dear?” Diane asked, slightly confused.
“Yes, it’s me, Mom, and I can only stay on the line for a minute. You need to take your meds now, OK? Is Kelly there with you now?” Helen asked holding her phone up to her face.
“…Uh yes, she’s,…uh… oh, I see what you mean now, yes, I took my medication just before you called sweetie, you doing OK? Where are you now, honey?” Diane asked.
“I’m still in Texas with Tim and Andrea, we’ll be back soon, it looks like. Right now we’re in an abandoned Victorian mansion called Prominent House which you’d love but I can’t take any photos to send to you, sorry but those are the rules” Helen said into the phone, rather disappointed.
“Oh, that’s alright, honey. Have you met any nice young men there yet?” Diane asked.
“-Mom, please, let’s not go there right now OK?” Helen asked with a huff; while turning away from Andrea, Kendall, and me out of embarrassment.
“You’re a beautiful girl but you’re not getting any younger, Helen, all I’m saying is that-” Diane began with the start of an old and obviously very repetitive lecture on courtship.
“-Mom, I know, OK?” Helen insisted.
“Your father and I met for the first time when I was twenty-one years old and we-” Diane began.
“-Couldn’t go a single day without each other, I know,” Helen said as she finished Diane’s own sentence.
There was a frustrated silence on the other end of the line now as Helen swirled around in a complete circle with her eyes closed and left hand on her head in exasperation at having her laundry publically aired in front of Andrea, Kendall, and myself.
Taking a deep breath and still holding her phone at face level with her right hand, Helen then abruptly asked “Is everything OK with Kitty and Horsefeathers, are they behaving alight for you? ”
“-Helen, this is Kelly, Diane took her meds about thirty minutes ago and she’s on the verge of sleep now. Your mom and I took a nice walk today and had lunch, we’re doing fine. The critters are all fine and so are we, thanks for the call though, I see what you’re saying though” Kelly explained.