Den lille husmor 1861

Lorenz Frølich made this drawing, titled "Den lille husmor," or "The Little Housewife," in Denmark. The era in which it was made placed emphasis on very rigid gender roles and the value of domesticity for women. Here, a young girl struggles to turn a key in a lock. She kneels on the floor, a basket full of keys at her side. The very image of domestic responsibility, she is, however, too young to actually embody it. The drawing romanticizes the notion of the housewife, presenting it as an ideal for young girls to aspire to. To truly understand this artwork, we must remember that its vision of childhood innocence is not necessarily timeless. It is a product of particular social and cultural conditions. Art historians consult sources from the period, such as etiquette manuals, domestic guides, and literature, to better understand the drawing's cultural context.