Infant Funeral Procession 1870

William P. Chappel made this painting, 'Infant Funeral Procession', with oil on canvas in the 19th century. It’s currently held here, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The procession depicts the death of a child, a common subject at the time. But here, the artist pays particular attention to the roles of women in 19th-century mourning rituals. This may be related to the artist’s close ties to Methodism, which promoted female participation in the church. The stark contrast between the women in white dresses and the men in dark suits creates a visual code that emphasizes the social divide between men and women. The houses and trees in the background give us insight into the cultural and historical context in which it was made. To fully understand this painting, it helps to investigate 19th-century American customs surrounding death, childhood and religion. The resources available here at the Met and in the city’s libraries, such as period newspapers, can help to flesh out the social context that shaped Chappel’s art.