Women In The 19th Century

In 19th century Europe, society was split into two parts: the private and public space. Men tended to reside in the public space, while women ruled the private. The two spaces were near opposites in what was acceptable in each, from objects, to activities, to topics of conversation. For the women who presided over private space, they would frequently stay in the parlor room. Within the parlor room, women were expected to converse or sew over decorative tea pots about neighborhood gossip, family matters, and the arts. Talking about politics, religion, or education beyond what was expected for that of women at the time, primarily in the arts, was unheard of. Objects in the space would be soft and delicate, which reflected how the “ideal woman” of the time period should be.

One of the sisters in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen played the piano at a private get-together. Even though more formal educations at institutions were not something accessible to women, they were still highly trained in the arts such as music. In addition to music, Darcy also mentioned drawing as something women must master to be considered “accomplished”, which is why I included a drawing of the Susquehanna River. Although it is not European, the drawing was done by a young girl, which represents the primary idea behind the item. Next, I decided to include an advertisement for a tea pot titled “All the Gossip”. As the title suggests, the advertisement includes a group of ladies gossiping around cups of tea. Because heavier topics such as politics and religion were not common place in private space, women tended to focus on more social discussions such as gossip, which this item clearly reflects. Connecting to this item, a 19th century teapot with flower and gold detailing was chosen to represent the tea consumed in private