Object of the Day: An Antique Engraving of a Domestic Scene, 1860-1870

From the mid to late Nineteenth Century, especially in middle class English households, genre paintings showing domestic scenes were quite popular. These often took the form of intergenerational compositions which showed families in their kitchens engaged in everyday activities. With the rise of readily available engravings and reproductions, families could afford to bring such scenes into their homes.


This engraving from circa 1860-1870 depicts a domestic scene wherein a grandmother sits by the hearth, tending to her sewing, as her grandchildren play with paper boats in a large wooden washtub. Such scenes were considered tender reminders of the importance of home and family and allowed families who previously had little access to art to add something both endearing and attractive to their homes.