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Washington, D.C., 1915. "Klassy Kamp group." A summer camp on the banks of the Potomac. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.
Once you notice it, the face of the girl seated second on the left is arresting. Talk about a Mona Lisa smile!
I have spent many minutes drinking in this photo. My eye always strays back to the girl on the far left. Talk about a timeless beauty.
I am continually fascinated by the insights / impressions / speculations of a 2009 audience to snapshots in time of a past society. It is interesting to see how we impress our experiences and social programming onto an individual's look, pose, or stance - captured in an instant in time so long ago.
I wonder how much we understand the social mores of a society long since faded into our past. It would be an interesting exercise to see what that past society's impressions on our present society (us) would be. I would love to sit down with any of the individuals in these photos and have a simple discussion for an hour.
Shorpy does us all a great service!
The woman in the 2nd row, fourth from the left, is absolutely gorgeous.
The gorgeous face of the young lady seated, hands in lap, extreme right. I'm in love with a 114-year-old beauty!
"Biff! Todd! So nice to see you!"
"Muffy, dahling! It's been positively ages!"
Among all the appreciative comments on the young ladies, the third guy from the right in the front row, holding his oar in that strange grip, is a total hottie.
And the chaperone at the far right looks like she's had about enough of this nonsense, thank you very much.
Man, upper right: "I want to say one word to you. Just one word."
Enthralled young adults: "Yes, sir."
Man: "Are you listening?"
Squirming young adults, in unison: "Yes, we are."
Man: "Radio."
Befuddled young adults: "Just how do you mean that, sir?"
The girl in front between the oars -- she's the Bomb!
This is a great picture despite being posed - and it's filled with so many obvious symbols of sexual yearning and, if those three chaperons at the top have anything to say about it, repression, that it would be hard to believe that most of them weren't in on the joke.
If the five turgid guitar and mandolin necks weren't enough, we also have the oars positioned as sort of a gateway to the girl with the dreamy and far-away look in her eyes who also happens to be holding a -- what would you call it -- large, turgid "candle"?
Which one of them, do you think, will light that wick? I'll put my money on the guy up on the deck, in the back, with the "pipe" in his mouth. He'd be the one with the matches in his pocket.
Aside from all that, the quality of this picture is terrific! What a nice find it would be for a genealogist.
It was hard not to notice that the slightly darker skins belong to the musicians and how nice and white everyone's clothing is.
[Possibly Upper Diplomatic (Spanish Legation) crust. - Dave]
The improvised youth orchestra prepares for an evening of classical music. The opening feature is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's overture in E flat major, Op. 49 (1812 Overture) to be played with two mandolins, two guitars, one ukulele, and featuring Maria Nobel on bass percussion and pyrotechnics.
I'm partial to Victrola girl, but sadly resemble married freckly-jughead guy. Leaning skinny-tie guy gives me the willies.
I am mesmerised by the faces in this photo. It looks idyllic, but it's on the cusp of WW-1 for the USA. The girl on the far left has me spellbound ...I wonder what her life story is. Thanks for posting this great photo.
I am constantly amazed by how people seemed much more inclined to wear white in whatever circumstance. This snazzy group is amazingly well turned out for camp; I love the casual hammock and pipe and ...ties. And is that a balalaika on the front row!? Sure beats the banjos at MY summer camp.
I think I'll keep my distance from the young lady with the huge firecracker. The expression on her face says she is thinking of new things to blow up.
See the two guys at the front on the left, one with the mandolin, the other with the oar? I don't think that could be more homoerotic if you planned it.
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