And now for something completely different—the 17th century leg bomb

1630--men's fashion circular© Christy K. Robinson
Since the Academy Awards presenter, Angelina Jolie, struck apose with her leg extended from the slit in her designer gown on 26 February, socialmedia are experiencing a "leg bomb." People are photoshopping Jolie's bareleg onto Whistler's Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, the Statue of Liberty, DarthVader, and many other images, and posting them to Twitter, Buzzfeed, Pinterest,and like sites. And now, I've joined the fad! 
This sort of pose was very common in the 17thcentury, albeit the pictures were of men. (The pose was too provocative forfemale models, even nudes, to strike. Women did not show the inside of theirknees or thighs.) However, the male aristocrats and royalty who could afford to haveportraits made, seem to have spiked the "leg-bomb" during the 1600s. Charles IIof England(1630-1685), often "made a leg" in his portraits, but he wasn't the first.Check out the images below: 
1628--James Hay (Lord Carlisle),
made Lord Proprietor
of Barbados by King Charles I
A Puritan Family, 17th-century woodcut

Louis XIV of France, making a leg
 The Tric-Trac Players
by Mathieu Le Nain

Charles II of England
 I like the look of consternation on the lion,
hoping that the angel doesn't lose his scarf in the breeze.

Charles II of England






Charles II of England


Charles II of England







































































Link to the The Sun with several funny Jolie leg images: http://bit.ly/xEQjMx