Harriet Ford’s maid 1833

John Frederick Lewis rendered this drawing, titled “Harriet Ford’s maid,” with watercolor and graphite on paper. Lewis was known for his Orientalist paintings, works that often exoticized and romanticized the Middle East and North Africa. Here, we see a young woman, her gaze averted, adorned in what appears to be a dark veil or head covering. Consider the power dynamics at play: Lewis, a British artist, depicting a woman, who would have been working in service. The title itself reduces her to her occupation and her employer, stripping her of individual identity. The woman’s expression and the soft rendering invite a sense of intimacy, yet it is an intimacy framed by the colonial gaze and the social hierarchy of Victorian England. What does it mean to represent someone, especially someone from a different class or culture? Does this image perpetuate stereotypes, or does it offer a glimpse into the lived experience of an individual? It's a poignant reminder of how representation is always intertwined with power, and how art can both reflect and shape societal attitudes.