Image 18

The case of image eighteen is a peculiar one. It is a portrait of an old man and an old woman, sitting in what one could assume to be their living room. They are proper and formal, but are not arrogant about it. This can be evidenced by the way they are sitting, especially the old woman with legs together instead of crossed and hands placed daintily on top of her legs. However, she is smiling, which shows that she is not only content, but also polite. The old man is dressed in a suit, but is not stiff and uncomfortable. They are from an era of respect and self respect. They respect their house which is tidy and clean and the books on the lower shelf are put away and orderly. There are flowers on the table and a small mirror for reflection, perhaps to look upon days gone by.

The old man is reminiscent, looking through some sort of old book or photo album. He is perhaps disappointed with his situation in life or in some of his decisions. He sits distant from his wife, not sharing his thoughts or actions with her. This could be either out of formality, or perhaps because he does not love her as he used to. The woman is selfless and patient. Throughout her life she has had to wait upon her husband. She has also had to be strong, especially emotionally, as he has been distant at times, evidenced by them being seated apart from one another. The old man was not malicious in his negligence of his wife, but rather was too focused on other things, such as work and finances. However, they have endured through thick and thin, together.