Skipping 1896

Frederick Morgan created this oil painting, Skipping, in England during the late 19th or early 20th century. It depicts two young girls playing, caught in a moment of carefree joy. But this seemingly simple image offers insights into the social attitudes and cultural values of the time. During this period, childhood became increasingly romanticized in art and literature. No longer viewed as miniature adults, children were seen as symbols of innocence and purity. Morgan’s painting captures this sentiment, portraying the girls in a picturesque setting, engaged in a wholesome activity. The detailed rendering of their clothing and the idyllic backdrop reflect the rising middle class’s aspiration for domestic tranquility and moral virtue. To fully understand a painting like this, historians might consult conduct manuals and educational treatises from the period. These sources reveal the social expectations placed on children, particularly girls, and how those expectations were shaped by class and gender. Art, after all, never exists in a vacuum. It is a reflection of the society that produces it.