Friday, July 10, 2009

Thomas Ballard


[The New Governess]
oil on canvas
19 3/4 x 16"
.
1836 - 1908.
This was a popular subject in mid-century with an estimated 20,000 governesses leading a precarious life, subject to instant dismissal if they upset the family (notice the numerous travel labels on her trunk), poorly paid but not quite a servant and not one of the family. Given the black dress, she is probably a widow fallen on hard times, or perhaps from a genteel family whose father has died. She seems to be holding the photograph of a man. The novels Jane Eyre and Agnes Grey brought attention to their plight.
This picture was exhibited at the RA in 1877.
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3 comments:

  1. HelsJuly 10, 2009 at 10:43 AM

    Agreed. Even with a lovely employer-family, there was always something terribly sad about a young woman who had no husband or children of her own.

    My favourite governess is by Rebecca Solomon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TheGovernessRebeccaSolomon.jpg

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  2. HermesJuly 10, 2009 at 2:50 PM

    Thank you. I agree with your first choice and featured her works last year.

    http://goldenagepaintings.blogspot.com/2008/04/rebecca-solomon.html

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  3. UnknownFebruary 10, 2023 at 1:51 AM

    Charlotte Bronte describes the life of a governess rather unfavourably in her novel Shirley

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