Collections | Reforms and Social Changes | Women | Scenes from life [17 Objects]

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Introduction to the Chapter

Armenian Girl

1841

The British Museum

London, United Kingdom

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 Justification for this item

This Armenian girl from Bursa (Turkey) was painted by the British painter John Frederick Lewis. The European public often became “acquainted” with the lives of Middle Eastern women through such works, filtering reality through the eye and tastes of the artists.

Armenian Girl

1841

The British Museum

London, United Kingdom

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The Governess

1844 (painted) 1845 (exhibited)

Victoria and Albert Museum

London, United Kingdom

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 Justification for this item

In the 19th century UK, women’s work was often an economic necessity, but could also promise autonomy, financial independence and self-realisation. Governesses were among those often able to improve their lot, a fact echoed in European literature, perhaps most famously in a masterpiece of English literature, Charlotte Brontë’s novel Jane Eyre (1847).

The Governess

1844 (painted) 1845 (exhibited)

Victoria and Albert Museum

London, United Kingdom

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Souvenirs d’Egypte; Femme Fellah

1851 (published)

Victoria and Albert Museum

London, United Kingdom

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 Justification for this item

Artist travellers to the Orient brought back numerous sketches of peoples’ lives, often to be transformed later into impressive paintings. Works like this one tried to give an account of costumes, scenes of life and women’s work as seen through the European artists’ gaze. Such depictions were not always sympathetic or indeed accurate.

Souvenirs d’Egypte; Femme Fellah

1851 (published)

Victoria and Albert Museum

London, United Kingdom

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Souvenirs d’Egypte; Femme Fellah du Caire

1851 (published)

Victoria and Albert Museum

London, United Kingdom

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 Justification for this item

Artist travellers to the Orient brought back numerous sketches of peoples’ lives, often to be transformed later into impressive paintings. Works like this one tried to give an account of costumes, scenes of life and women’s work as seen through the European artists’ gaze. Such depictions were not always sympathetic or indeed accurate.

Souvenirs d’Egypte; Femme Fellah du Caire

1851 (published)

Victoria and Albert Museum

London, United Kingdom

See Database Entry

Women grinding corn in Sinai

1869

Victoria and Albert Museum

London, United Kingdom

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 Justification for this item

Western travellers in the Arab and Ottoman world often sought out scenes of daily life involving women. The way Europeans imagined the position of women in Arab and Ottoman society, deduced not least from the way they dressed, was fed by often fanciful, romanticised and inaccurate accounts from travellers or the photographs they brought back.

Women grinding corn in Sinai

1869

Victoria and Albert Museum

London, United Kingdom

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Turkish woman

1890-1895

National Library of France

Paris, France

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 Justification for this item

Western travellers in the Arab and Ottoman world often sought out scenes of daily life involving women. The way Europeans imagined the position of women in Arab and Ottoman society, deduced not least from the way they dressed, was fed by often fanciful, romanticised and inaccurate accounts from travellers or the photographs they brought back.

Turkish woman

1890-1895

National Library of France

Paris, France

See Database Entry

Turkish woman

1890-1895

National Library of France

Paris, France

See Database Entry

 Justification for this item

Western travellers in the Arab and Ottoman world often sought out scenes of daily life involving women. The way Europeans imagined the position of women in Arab and Ottoman society, deduced not least from the way they dressed, was fed by often fanciful, romanticised and inaccurate accounts from travellers or the photographs they brought back.

Turkish woman

1890-1895

National Library of France

Paris, France

See Database Entry

Turkish women

1890-1895

National Library of France

Paris, France

See Database Entry

 Justification for this item

Western travellers in the Arab and Ottoman world often sought out scenes of daily life involving women. The way Europeans imagined the position of women in Arab and Ottoman society, deduced not least from the way they dressed, was fed by often fanciful, romanticised and inaccurate accounts from travellers or the photographs they brought back.

Turkish women

1890-1895

National Library of France

Paris, France

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Trips to Morocco. Oujda via Lalla Marnia. Hôtel Figari […] car service every day […] links to the Tlemcen stagecoach and trains to Western Algeria

1895

National Library of France

Paris, France

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 Justification for this item

Western travellers in the Arab and Ottoman world often sought out scenes of daily life involving women. The way Europeans imagined the position of women in Arab and Ottoman society, deduced not least from the way they dressed, was fed by often fanciful, romanticised and inaccurate accounts from travellers or the photographs they brought back.

Dreams

1896

National Gallery of Modern Art (GNAM)

Rome, Italy

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 Justification for this item

The right of European women to access the same literature as men in the 19th century was difficult to achieve. Reading was considered to be dangerous in some cases.

Dreams

1896

National Gallery of Modern Art (GNAM)

Rome, Italy

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The Various Ages of Woman

Beginning of the 20th century

Central Institute for Ethno-Anthropology, National Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions

Rome, Italy

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 Justification for this item

In the 19th century, the role of women in the family and in society was still very often seen in a very traditional manner in Europe.

The Various Ages of Woman

Beginning of the 20th century

Central Institute for Ethno-Anthropology, National Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions

Rome, Italy

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Women going about their daily life

Early 20th century

Institut Supérieur d’Histoire Contemporaine de la Tunisie

Tunis, Tunisia

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 Justification for this item

Western travellers in the Arab and Ottoman world often sought out scenes of daily life involving women. The way Europeans imagined the position of women in Arab and Ottoman society, deduced not least from the way they dressed, was fed by often fanciful, romanticised and inaccurate accounts from travellers or the photographs they brought back.

Women going about their daily life

Early 20th century

Institut Supérieur d’Histoire Contemporaine de la Tunisie

Tunis, Tunisia

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A young algerian girl

1920

National Library of France

Paris, France

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 Justification for this item

Western travellers in the Arab and Ottoman world often sought out scenes of daily life involving women. The way Europeans imagined the position of women in Arab and Ottoman society, deduced not least from the way they dressed, was fed by often fanciful, romanticised and inaccurate accounts from travellers or the photographs they brought back.

A young algerian girl

1920

National Library of France

Paris, France

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Veiled women walking, Algeria

1920

National Library of France

Paris, France

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 Justification for this item

Western travellers in the Arab and Ottoman world often sought out scenes of daily life involving women. The way Europeans imagined the position of women in Arab and Ottoman society, deduced not least from the way they dressed, was fed by often fanciful, romanticised and inaccurate accounts from travellers or the photographs they brought back.

Veiled women walking, Algeria

1920

National Library of France

Paris, France

See Database Entry

Kabyle mother with her child

1920

National Library of France

Paris, France

See Database Entry

 Justification for this item

Western travellers in the Arab and Ottoman world often sought out scenes of daily life involving women. The way Europeans imagined the position of women in Arab and Ottoman society, deduced not least from the way they dressed, was fed by often fanciful, romanticised and inaccurate accounts from travellers or the photographs they brought back.

Kabyle mother with her child

1920

National Library of France

Paris, France

See Database Entry

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Introduction to the Chapter