Illustration design for "The Economy of Human Life" 1834

Curator: Frank Howard created this illustration design for "The Economy of Human Life" in 1834. It's a watercolor and print, currently residing here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Oh, my goodness, it’s all hazy dreamscape and melancholy. The palette is soft, almost ethereal. Curator: That softness, along with the depiction of the lone female figure within a somewhat idealized landscape, speaks directly to the Romanticism movement of the period. Consider how Romanticism, at its core, prioritized emotionality and the sublime power of nature. How might the "economy" of life be depicted in this period and by this artwork? Editor: It feels intensely personal. Is she lost, reflective, escaping or being exiled? She almost seems to blend with the environment; as if she could almost disappear like the landscape is taking control of her own human body, which I love, like women losing control in a historical, social and patriarcal world, you know? Curator: It’s interesting to think about her potential alienation within the "economy" suggested by the title. Was labor gendered? What was women's labor, and, particularly middle class or wealthy women's work understood or recognized as work within 19th-century social structures? Where does this women fit into those gendered expectations? The original text Howard illustrates touches upon themes of societal roles and moral philosophy; therefore, a reading considering class and gender makes much sense. Editor: It reminds me of that time I felt totally adrift after moving to a new city—searching for grounding. I just love how one could imagine this scene is about reclaiming one's life! You know, rediscovering freedom outside societal cages! Maybe the “economy” is about human spirit and that is priceless to be free! I see myself, reclaiming life. I love this! Curator: I appreciate your bringing that introspective reading into it. I agree that perhaps the power lies in finding one's self amidst broader economic, or even emotional economies that seek to prescribe personhood according to social forces. Thanks to Frank Howard, who gifted us not just an image but perhaps a historical mirror for ourselves. Editor: Thanks to us, because we just gifted a great point of view on what an author can truly meant by such artwork and historical time. Now that's a way of economy to be spent.