Beard Liberation Front
9th July
With UK temperatures set to be above 30C for the next period, the Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has again authorised beard trimming.
The pictures above are of BLF organiser Keith Flett…
Marx had his beard trimmed while in Algiers in April 1882
Apropos; because of the sun, I have done away with my prophet’s beard and my crowning glory but (in deference to my daughters) had myself photographed before offering up my hair on the altar of an Algerian barber. I shall receive the photographs next Sunday (30 April). Specimina will be sent to you from Marseilles. On inspection you will observe that, CONSIDERING the 8 whole weeks (during which I did not in fact have one day of complete repose) of painting with collodion (after the manner of Ludwig of Bavaria), j’ai fait encore bonne mine à mauvais jeu.
Collodion was an early form of photography, while Ludwig of Bavaria was someone thought to have good looks. Marx is making the point that despite not sleeping well for eight weeks he didn’t look too bad
Marx’s decision to shave his beard was very likely related to wider health issues which had led him to stay in Algiers and then Monte Carlo. By late June 1882 he was in Paris.
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