There’s a famous picture, American Gothic, by Grant Wood, which leaves many people smiling (unlike the couple in the picture), but it also leaves them thinking.
Is the grim man holding his pitchfork as a support? Or as a symbol of honest productive work? Or as a weapon to fend off the world.
Is his equally grim daughter standing with him sharing his defiance? Or is he protecting her? Or holding her back, preventing her escape? Is she actually his daughter? Or his wife? His servant? His captive?
I wrote last week about the photographs of Tom Mathias, taken in the early 20th century. One of them, not included in that post, has a special significance for me. It shows a party outing in 1910. At the back of the carriage is a young man, Morgan Mathias. There are plenty of other people in the photograph whose characters shine through their bulk and their bushy beards.
Especially for me there’s the young lady standing on the extreme left. Emma. Morgan’s hand is resting on her shoulder because they were engaged. The engagement never came to fulfilment because he was killed soon after in the Great War, and Emma remained unmarried, a spinster running a shop in the village. It was the property that I moved into in 1983, so I suspect her presence lingered.
My new novel, The Covenant, is coming very soon (20th August), set in the cottage of Cwmderwen that the reader first meets in its abandoned derelict state in A Time For Silence. In The Covenant, it is not derelict, but a family home: the home of my heroine, Leah Owen and her patriarch father, Thomas. So, I took liberties. I vandalised Tom Mathias’s photo of Emma to produce my own antiqued image of Cwmderwen. I call it Welsh Gothic.
The same questions can be asked. Is she his daughter, his servant or his captive?
The Covenant – pre-order now.
published by Honno 20th August 2020
A Time For Silence
Thorne Moore 
These posts have been fascinating Thorne. So much history. And you’re right; the characters do shine through. My favourite on the photo is the little lad on the horse… so serious!
LikeLike
Yes, and the horse is probably happier having him on his back than the tonnage of passengers he’s got to pull!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed! Poor animal.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Judith Barrow and commented:
Another great post from Thorne Moore. Her next book, The Covenant, come soon, and available to pre-order.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I find old photos fascinating. Is that hand on her shoulder a sign of affection or ownership? Each of these posts whets my appetite for publication day – less than a fortnight to go now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Or it might be him trying to keep his balance, Alex! Anyway, he didn’t get to own her, but I got to own her shop. 🙂 Counting the days now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I came here from Judith’s The history of people in pictures is so intriguing. I always want to know the life behind the face. Congrats on your coming book, Thorne.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I can brood over old photographs forever, picturing the characters of those depicted.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Looking forward to reading this, Thorne. Do submit the book to Rosie’s Book Review Team!
I always thought the scowls on the faces in American Gothic were due to the hard life on a farm, and maybe because I’ve never seen any depiction from the Gothic era with a smile! 😉
LikeLike
Thank you. I will submit it. There’s a carved angel on Rheims cathedral (or I think it’s Rheims), which is smiling. Such a rare phenomenon that it’s known as THE smiling angel. Maybe smiles were considered too frivolous for Godly people.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think you’re right, Thorne. By the way, for some reason, on this post, I can’t ‘like# anything. Ah, the vagaries of WordPress!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reims. I always get that wrong. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reims_Cathedrale_Notre_Dame_019_smiling_angel.JPG
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wouldn’t be laughing if someone had done that to my nose!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I always think they were told not to smile, Noelle. And I agree, think this is definitely one for RBRT.
LikeLiked by 1 person