22.00 USD
Apologies for the unforgivable language geekery that follows in this listing. If you love the image, then just go ahead and buy the card :)
This is a very special card historically! Printed in the late 1910s, it offers a lively image of a young feminist.
"Trotzköpfchen" is one of those gorgeously ungainly German combination words, putting together Trotzköpf (literal translation something like, "despite everything-head"), meaning contrary, or defiant, or stubborn, minded, and chen, the German diminutive meaning small or little that often seems to carry with it the implication of cute.
So we have a young lady who sports the ringlets and big bow at the back that identifies her generally as an unmarried, school-age, if nearly adult woman, while at the same time, she presents herself in her underthings, showing a fair amount of leg, and smoking a cigarette!
This flies in the face of propriety, hence "contrary-minded," particularly for a schoolgirl, hence the "chen," so we can call her "cute little contrary one." A little presumptuous, maybe?
She declares, "Ich lasse mich nicht unterkriegen," meaning, I will stand my ground, or, I will not be overcome, or down-trodden (just three of several possible translations into English), a declaration that is, in so many words, ever popular with the disenfranchised who thirst for equality.
The status of women the world over had undergone great change during World War One and though some lovers, brothers and fathers returning home from the battle may have desired a return to the pre-war status quo, women, who'd kept things going back home, were hesitant to return mildly to the kitchen.
This image, like other provocative boudoir images of the period, weren't merely appreciated by men in the corner tobacco shop, but by women too. Certainly boudoir images objectify, but for many women of the early 1900s, they also expressed a will to personhood, a will to a physical and cultural equality, that keeping to propriety didn't necessarily offer.
A great card in so many ways!
Please examine our high res scans for detail.
The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. Postage is for fully-insured, first class shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will not charge for postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.
And please come visit our blog at:
redpoulaine.blogspot.com
where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!