The Widow
Ferdinand Freiherr von Reznicek
1904
Ferdinand Freiherr von Reznicek’s 1904 illustration 'Die Witwe' (The Widow) serves up a deliciously dark joke about Victorian mourning customs. A woman in a heavy black dress stands before a mirror, but rather than weeping, she is cheekily fastening a black garter to her leg. The German caption below translates to 'I'll wear black garters too. You never know,' implying she is pragmatically preparing for her next husband's demise. This cynical, witty twist on grief was a staple of Art Nouveau satire, poking fun at the performative nature of sorrow.
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