Knitting Bernese woman with child 

Albrecht Anker, a Swiss painter, produced this quiet scene of domesticity, Knitting Bernese woman with child, sometime in the late 19th century. Here, a mother teaches her daughter the craft of knitting. Anker's focus on the everyday lives of rural people chimes with the broader European Realist movement. But it also speaks to the cultural politics of a rapidly industrializing Switzerland. As traditional ways of life came under threat, art that celebrated rural customs gained prominence. Switzerland, with its mountainous geography, retained a strong sense of regional identity, and so, the woman’s Bernese costume is significant. To understand this painting fully, we would need to explore the history of Swiss regionalism and the growth of national institutions dedicated to preserving folk culture. We might also look at how the art market shaped Anker’s choice of subject matter. Ultimately, the meaning of this image is contingent on its historical context.