Music Has Charms to Soothe the Savage Breast 1786

T. Smith created this hand-colored etching titled "Music Has Charms to Soothe the Savage Breast" in 1786. It’s a snapshot into the gendered expectations of the late 18th century. We see a woman playing what looks to be a harpsichord, while a man slumbers beside her, presumably lulled to sleep by her music. The era dictated women's accomplishments, like musical skill, should be displayed for domestic tranquility and male pleasure, not personal expression. The phrase, “soothe the savage breast,” suggests the man is a beast that can be tamed by feminine virtues. The emotional weight of this scene rests on the woman. Is she content, bored, resentful? We, as viewers, must reckon with the power dynamics at play. Smith invites us to reflect on the subtle, yet pervasive, ways society molds our roles and expectations, then and now.