The French Quarter store was open when I took this photograph but still the mannequin was caged. The mesh fence was part of the design whether for deliberate atmosphere or for saftey in such close proximity to the Bourbon Street party neighborhood. The symbolism in this picture is narrower than in the earlier New Orleans boutique image (see below); this woman is on her knees, looking away and black skinned. The bright colors and patterns of her robe say that her spirit is not broken by her slavery.

The combination of the image on this page and the female boutique mannequin taken on the same 1990 trip, at left, was the spur for the continuing "store life" theme.