Henrietta lays sprawled out along the chaise lounge in the study with a book lying open over her face and her arms crossed over her chest.
“My love,” Mariano says, rolling his eyes, “you are suffering a bout of hysteria.”
He sets down the Waterford decanter and turns around with two half glasses of brown liquor before remembering, and instead keeps both glasses for himself.
“Oh do be a dear and just give me a nip!” She pleads from behind the book. “It would be just the thing I need to get out of this rot.”
“It is going to be quite an unpleasant season if all you are worried about is getting tight. You know you have got to keep your head.”
She sighs and places a cigarette in her mouth before catching a look from Mariano. She slams her feet on the ground, stands up and starts pacing, looking for a lighter.
“I can’t hide it forever,” she says. She is a very slender woman, no curves to be spoken of. She grabs a silk pillow from the lounge and stuffs it up her off-white lace dress. “They will know soon enough and they will see these hands without a cigarette or a drink, or a ring!”
In a fit of anger she lights the cigarette and the pillow drops between her legs.
“It has come sooner than expected,” he says, picking up the pillow. Henrietta scoffs and turns her back to him, and catches their reflection in the mirror. Her face softens as she sees Mariano cradling the pillow like a child. She stomps the cigarette out and lets out a laugh from the pit of her stomach.
Italy
“My love,” Mariano says, rolling his eyes, “you are suffering a bout of hysteria.”
He sets down the Waterford decanter and turns around with two half glasses of brown liquor before remembering, and instead keeps both glasses for himself.
“Oh do be a dear and just give me a nip!” She pleads from behind the book. “It would be just the thing I need to get out of this rot.”
“It is going to be quite an unpleasant season if all you are worried about is getting tight. You know you have got to keep your head.”
She sighs and places a cigarette in her mouth before catching a look from Mariano. She slams her feet on the ground, stands up and starts pacing, looking for a lighter.
“I can’t hide it forever,” she says. She is a very slender woman, no curves to be spoken of. She grabs a silk pillow from the lounge and stuffs it up her off-white lace dress. “They will know soon enough and they will see these hands without a cigarette or a drink, or a ring!”
In a fit of anger she lights the cigarette and the pillow drops between her legs.
“It has come sooner than expected,” he says, picking up the pillow. Henrietta scoffs and turns her back to him, and catches their reflection in the mirror. Her face softens as she sees Mariano cradling the pillow like a child. She stomps the cigarette out and lets out a laugh from the pit of her stomach.
Italy
c. 1940's
Screen Printed Cotton with Silk Backs
17" wide x 17" high
$650/pr.