"The Butler's in Love"

[breakinglight11]

I like this image.

It's from a series called The Butler's in Love by Mark Stock. I think it's sweet and very sad. He's mooning over a lipstick mark left on a glass, which probably means that the woman he loves is probably above his station and unlikely to look his way. I like how they always have him slightly turned away, conveying how this is a secret thing he is wrestling with, something he cannot allow anyone to see. The artist painted it during a time of struggle with his own unrequited love, and I can see the empathy and understanding in the composition. I'd like to try to find the whole series, as what I've seen of it really affects me.