As I look at the photographs I can feel that being photographed, was very very important to them.
It feels it was so important that I have decided to choose three of the photographs and let the women come out of the frame.
I believe every person deserves a moment in history when one can be larger than life.
Sometime in the 1920-ies, this is Stasia, my Grandmother's half-sister. In the actual photo her friend walks beside her. She probably knew she is not asking her girl friend for just a stroll, she knew they will get photographed. But the friend didn't.
Stasia dressed like a princess and the friend didn't so when the camera flashed the other girl may have just realized she was a little bit of a patsy, she didn't seem happy...
I have spared her the discomfort and in this version of the photograph I made her invisible.
I did let Stasia to be what she wanted - immortal.
Stasia died during the war, from untreated pneumonia.
My Grandmother, Maryla with her sister in law, the 1920-ies.
It looks like they really enjoy themselves, the gloves, the hats and the laughing.
The boys, my grandpa and his new brother in law are behind. But this is the girl's time to be immortal.
Both survived being expelled from the Nazi-occupied Poznań. They both died old ladies, but I have decided to let them come out of the picture just a bit more...
Tha's my grandmother again. She worked as a nurse and those were her co-workers. Judging by the way they dressed they did enjoyed quite a bit of financial independence.
Nursing was probably one of the earliest opportunities for women to succeed without family support.
I did let grandma to show off her fur coat a bit closer...
I love those hats...
I hope those women survived the war.
In my scans and reproduced photographs I did aim at preserving as much as possible of the present-day coloration. The photos are not the way they saw it 90 years ago, but it is likely they were warm-toned. We delight in those sepia-tones nevertheless.
All photographs were taken in Poznań, Poland.
Did you like those great hats that the grandmas wore in the Twenties?
I have found an old 1920 Sears ad - look at the beautiful evening/party versions of the hats!
