From the first briefing with Frances Tempest, another influential reference for her were the Storyville Portraits, a series of portraits taken by E. J. Bellocq of the prostitutes in New Orleans. The photographs were taken during the 1920's but took till 1971 till they were published.
Storyville was the Red Light District of New Orleans, built upon the models of Germany and Holland where there is a small area of legalised prostitution, following the concept that it would be easier to control and police if legalised in a small area.
The photographs are melancholy and haunting images of the brothel girls, some fully nude, some partly dressed and some fully dressed. A few subjects are pictured with masks. I feel that these images are so important to reference in this unit as it shows an uncensored view of prostitutes in the early 20th Century, and they would be very similar to our Moulin Rouge dancers.
Here are some images I feel are good inspiration and historical reference.
