The Irritating Gentleman, Berthold Woltze. Germany (1829 – 1896)
FS says: I love this because it speaks very much to the sociological effect of modernity. Suddenly people were trapped in carriages with other people more and more often, and middle class women were suddenly traveling alone far more often than ever before. This meant that there was a huge need for cultural rules to come into play, rules we see and use to this day. Imagine you are in a bus, do you look at people around you? In the eyes? Do you speak with people you sit next to? How about in elevators? Probably not. This is the social conditioning of urbane modernity. And it started when people were thrown more and more together for longer periods.
Basically its this guy’s fault that you feel so alone in a crowd.
I find it utterly fascinating that “irritating gentlemen” have been a problem on public transportation for so long. The weary look on this woman’s face says it all. I have worn that look many times.
The way she’s looking in our direction for help is very modern in a way.
Please allow me to smack him with my handbag and rip his balls out with my umbrella handle.
(via yourpervert)
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