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November 1937. "Street scene, Washington, D.C. Proprietor of a tombstone shop." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the FSA.
I love this photo. Beautiful composition. The man looks wise - I don't think you'd find him as creepy if he was working in a grocery or a haberdashery. Those in the death professions suffer from the worst stigma.
For some reason this picture reminds me of the character Digby O'Dell "the friendly undertaker" from the old "Life of Riley" radio show (and the original TV version, starring Jackie Gleason). "Digger (as Riley called him) was always given lines like "Business is a little dead tonight," which sounds innocuous enough unless you hear actor John Brown deliver the line in with his own inflections and emphasis. Then it became comedy gold.
If ever a guy was born for his profession here he is, what a great photo. I love the shadows and the whole eerie feeling to it.
I thought that this had to be a scene from a movie, such a strong photograph. I bit of Lee Marvin about the guy too.
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