Thursday, March 3, 2011

Life imitates art, and the ironic effect is far too easy

The image, via

http://www.shorpy.com/node/10051

dates from about 1910 and was taken in Louisiana at what is now the largest maximum-security prison in the United States. With one word deleted for now, the photograph's original title was "Sternwheeler ______ at Angola Landing, State Penitentiary farm, Mississippi River."

Think 1960s. Think Easy Rider. Think a guy with a guitar and a battered fedora on the back of his head and an old lady (that's what we called them then; we're talking about a 19-year-old behind the counter in a radiator shop) supporting him. Think, "Ah, sophomore year."

Then look at the prison stripes. Then fill in the blank by looking at the name on the boat.



Click to enlarge.