33.00 USD
We are still searching for history on Mlle. Nina Barkis. Sometimes described by modern postcard sellers as a dancer and an opera singer, many of her postcards are of the "Poses Plastiques" variety so popular at the time, but apparently she played onstage as Salomé, too. Images of her as Salomé by Herr Gerlach, suggest that she performed that role in Berlin, and so probably in the Strauss version of the opera, rather than Mariotte's. The trick is to discover if she was actually an opera singer, or a dancer who stood in for the opera singer during the dance of seven veils. Not all opera stars were particularly fine dancers, and the use of a stand-in was fairly common in various productions of that opera. Chances are that this lovely image by Georg Gerlach is one of her in costume for Salomé. Though we've seen others of her in different costume, identified as Salomé, in this image she is wearing what appears to be the same necklace worn in those other identified images, so we're guessing this costume was from the same production.
It's a bit surprising that more information is not available on Mlle. Barkis. She was certainly prolific as a postcard queen. What a fine print and in very nice, unposted condition! We've read that she posed for nude images by the renowned "french postcard" photographer, Jean Agelou and we've sold a number of images of her by Monsieur Walery of Paris too, usually in a faux-nude, elastic, body suit, or what is sometimes in French referred to as "en collant."
That close-fitting elastic costume came into popularity (though not originally in risque postcard images or public performances) in the United States during the mid 1800s.
The common fashion of wearing tight-laced corsets was viewed by many in the women's movement not only as unhealthy and potentially dangerous, but as yet another way in which women were held in thrall by an inflexible, patriarchal society. At the same moment in history, the movement toward the emancipation of slaves was coming to a head, and that cause was viewed by women activists as walking hand in hand with their own.
The introduction of elastic undergarments as a replacement for corsets found great support (excuse the pun :) among those women, and these garments were given names like liberty suit, emancipation suit, or union suit, associating the garment with personal emancipation, a woman's right to make decisions regarding her own body, its health and appearance, and the "Union" side in the Civil War, which was fought in large part, over the issue of slavery. These garments became a personal statement made quietly, a choice, or determination, that was worn underneath one's exterior clothing, so that the wearer was safe from the sort of ridicule suffered by many who went "against the grain" publicly.
So, what we have come to think of as a union suit, that funny, old-fashioned, red woolen get up with the tent-flap backdoor that is worn by gnarled and be-whiskered prospectors in period films, was not originally designed for men at all, but for women.
In 1900, Oneita, a major manufacturer of the "elastic ribbed union suit" advertised their "Venus" (trimmed with silk ribbon and mother of pearl buttons), using images of a shapely gal posing on a pedestal, like a statue of that goddess, and very much like many of the risque faux nude postcards we sell in our shop. It's just a little ironic that a costume worn in images that can be said to objectify women, originally found popularity in the women's movement as an expression of practical feminism!
We'll continue researching Mlle. Barkis, hoping to find more concrete information.
A wonderful card and so beautifully tinted! 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 refund the 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!