Category: Closer Look

  • A Closer Look: “The Devil” will smile

    Written by Patricia Feeley, Interlibrary Loan Librarian, Boston Public Library This eerie optical illusion postcard (left) comes from the Fall River Public Library’s Historic Postcards, c. 1880-1970 collection.  It advertises a production of Ferenc (Franz) Molnar’s play, The Devil.  With Halloween coming up, I think it deserves A Closer Look. The title leads us to see the…

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  • A Closer Look: Rope pull, undated

    Written by Patricia Feeley, Interlibrary Loan Librarian, Boston Public Library The handwritten caption on this photo states, “Taken Ropepull day Sept. 18, 1895”.  I don’t know if these mostly cheerful, mostly young men are rope pullers (tug of warriors?) or spectators.  The University of Massachusetts at Amherst simply calls it, “Rope pull, undated”. I was originally…

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  • A Closer Look: La Baleine d’Ostende

    Written by Patricia Feeley, Interlibrary Loan Librarian, Boston Public Library Some images beg for a closer look.  At first glance, this is a sad scene of a beached whale being inspected by curious onlookers.  However, the caption reads, “La Baleine d’Ostende/Visitee par l’Elephant, la Giraffe les Osages et les Chinois.”  Elephant?  Giraffe? What exactly is going…

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